Madeleine Dean among 17 House Democrats arrested during abortion-rights protest

U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean (D., Pa.) was among at least 35 people, including 16 other members of Congress, arrested by Capitol Police in front of the Supreme Court Tuesday as they denounced the overturning of Roe v. Wade and rallied in support of abortion rights.

Protesters, including Dean’s fellow Democratic Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, wore green bandanas that read “we won’t back down” as protesters chanted “bans off our bodies.”

In Twitter posts, the Capitol Police said the protesters were blocking traffic and after the “standard three warnings” they began making arrests for crowding, obstructing, or incommoding.

Dean, who represents Montgomery and part of Berks Counties, said she and Democratic colleagues were corralled by police to grassy patches where they were processed and fined $50 before being released. The protesters were prepared for the possibility of arrest at the onset, according to Dean.

The protest comes as the House is set to vote on key legislation that would protect access to contraception and codify marriage equality, which some advocates worry are under threat since the Roe reversal.

To Dean, the protest was as much a statement of defiance to protect women’s rights as it is an education campaign.

“Anytime I can stand up and say, remember — particularly in Pennsylvania — you still have your rights to abortion care and your privacy of health-care services, that’s really something I want to do,” she said.

» READ MORE: The latest battle over abortion rights in Pa. is all about the state constitution. Here’s what to know.

By overturning Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court returned the issue of abortion access to the states. In Pennsylvania, abortions remains legal through 24 weeks of pregnancy but that could change after the November elections.

State Sen. Doug Mastriano, the Republican gubernatorial candidate, has advocated for a six-week abortion ban in the state. His Democratic opponent, Attorney General Josh Shapiro, has said he’d veto any abortion restrictions that come to his desk.

» READ MORE: Where Pa.’s 2022 candidates for governor and Senate stand on abortion

Meanwhile, the Republican-controlled state legislature is working to amend the Pennsylvania constitution to say that the document doesn’t guarantee abortion rights. The issue could go to voters as early as the May primary.

The rest of the country is already seeing a patchwork of abortion bans, as well as looming battles between states that continue to protect abortion rights and the states that have restricted access.

Dean suspects demonstrations like Tuesday’s will continue.

“As activists and as lawmakers we must have our voice and our legislation be heard,” said Dean. “We need to make sure we pass laws that protect and expand rights up against the extremist right-wing Supreme Court and Republican Party.”