WASHINGTON ― Disability rights activists from across the country who were arrested this week at a Capitol building protest of the Republican health care bill will have to return to Washington to pay $50 fines.
The 54 far-flung activists who converged on Capitol Hill Wednesday to demonstrate against Medicaid cuts in the GOP legislation must pay their fines in person within 15 days of their arrests, U.S. Capitol Police told The Huffington Post.
Advertisement
Leaders of Adapt, the disability rights activism network that organized the protest, said police wouldn’t allow them to pay the fine in person after the arrests. Forcing a return to the city is a costly and outrageous hardship for the activists, most of whom have serious physical disabilities, said Gregg Beratan, an Albany, New York-based policy analyst for the Center for Disability Rights who was among those arrested.
“It comes off as punitive,” Beratan said. “Adapt has been protesting in D.C. for years. We’ve never experienced anything like this.”
The activists, a majority in wheelchairs, were arrested by Capitol Police on a charge of obstructing the Capitol rotunda, where they had gathered to protest the GOP legislation.
Police held them for several hours for processing, and informed them they could return in the evening to pay the $50 fine and complete paperwork, according to Beratan and other protest organizers.
Advertisement
But when the activists returned that evening, officers said they needed additional time for processing paperwork, the organizers said.
Some of the activists stayed in Washington overnight and paid the fine the next day. Dozens of others had to leave town on Wednesday night without paying their fines. They include 24 activists who took a seven-hour overnight bus ride to the protest from Rochester, New York, as well as 12 activists from Philadelphia, and one from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Eva Malecki, a spokeswoman for the Capitol Police, did not contradict activists’ account.
“They can only pay their fines after all of their arrest paperwork is fully completed, which involves the generation of other documentation in addition to the officers processing each arrestee following their arrest,” Malecki said in an email. “It takes time to complete all of this documentation, and the timing of the completion of such can be impacted by the number of arrests made, time of day they are arrested, etc.”
If the arrested protesters do not pay the fine or request to be arraigned in Superior Court in Washington within 15 days of their arrest, Capitol Police will issue arrest warrants.
Advertisement
Protesters said they want police to permit a lawyer to pay the fines in person on their behalf.
Bruce Darling, president of the Center for Disability Rights, helped arrange the bus from Rochester. Chartering a bus specially equipped for people with disabilities cost $3,896, paid with fundraising donations. In addition to the expense, a return trip involves special hardship for people with disabilities.
“That is a long time for someone to be sitting for someone who has a spinal cord injury,” Darling said. “This is an incredible hardship for folks. And it’s offensive because they actually were there and tried to follow through.”
Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.), who represents the arrested Pennsylvanians, has been following the ordeal, spokesman John Rizzo said.
“It’s unfortunate that constituents with disabilities will have to travel back to DC to settle this issue when they were willing to do it while they here this week,” Rizzo said in a statement.
Advertisement
Adapt’s lawyer is trying to reach an accommodation with Capitol Police. If that fails, the network of activists is prepared to begin fundraising for a return to Washington.
“We’re still keeping our eye on the big picture, which is to stop these massive cuts to Medicaid that will force people into nursing homes and institutions,” Darling said. “It’s forcing people with disabilities into something like the Hunger Games.”
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.