Jane Fonda, Sam Waterson among 17 arrested during climate change protest in Washington DC

Actors Jane Fonda, 81, was reportedly arrested on October 18 in Washington as she was taking part in a climate change protest outside the U.S. Capitol building. Her ‘Grace and Frankie’  co-star Sam Waterston, 78, was also among the 17 people arrested. 

The Hollywood Reporter said the actors were among the 17 people taken into custody by the Capitol police for demonstrating "unlawfully." Capitol police spokesperson Eva Malecki said all 17 were  charged with crowding and obstructing or incommoding.

According to Deadline, the protestors had engaged in a rally called “Fire Drill Fridays", organized by Fonda and Code Pink to focus on the impact of human activity on climate and the government’s non-response to the crisis. They reportedly marched briefly, chanting “Our house is on fire! Put the fire out!” before making their way to the street, where officers arrived almost immediately.

This is the second time in a week that Fonda has been arrested during a protest at the Capitol. On October 11, Fonda and 15 others were arrested for allegedly unlawfully demonstrating on the East Front of the Capitol. Fonda had reportedly pledged to take part in 14 “Fire Drill Fridays."

"I will be on the Capitol every Friday, rain or shine, inspired and emboldened by the incredible movement our youth have created", Fonda wrote on her own website last week. "I can no longer stand by and let our elected officials ignore — and even worse — empower — the industries that are destroying our planet for profit. We can not continue to stand for this", she added on her website.

When asked by a reporter why it made sense to get arrested to draw attention to the issue, Deadline reported Waterson as saying, “I have to do something. I don’t know. You got a better idea?”