Washington DC—Nearly 100 Veterans and a few supporters jumped over police barriers, pushed past Capitol Police lines, and took over the U.S. Capitol steps for about an hour on Saturday. Video provided by journalist Iron Snowflake depicts the moment the group of Veterans surprised U.S. Capitol Police when they rushed over the metal fences and overwhelmed them. Capitol Police quickly called reinforcements but it was too late.
The action was partly in response to the President’s Military Parade which was to begin several hours later. The deployment of active duty troops in Los Angeles streets in the wake of ICE raids across Los Angeles was another reason for the action. The action was also in response to increasing wait times for Veterans benefits due to staffing and medical doctor reductions at VA healthcare locations across the country.
The U.S Capitol building video also shows police attempting to hard-arrest several of the Veterans as they ran towards the Capitol steps. One Veteran in his 80s, who is a Vietnam Era Veteran, was also arrested and placed in zip-ties. His walker was left behind as Capitol police escorted him away.
Veterans unfurled a giant 50 foot banner reading “Veterans Say Military Off Our Streets” as they sat on the steps. They also held smaller signs reading “Money For People Not Parades,” and “Benefits Not Bullshit.”
All the Veterans were later released after posting a fine and forfeiting their trial for trespassing on Federal property. None of the Veterans attempted to enter the U.S. Capitol proper.
On January 6, 2021, the same U.S. Capitol police force allowed several thousand far-right insurrectionists to break through windows, trespass through hallways and doors, and force their way into the House and Senate chambers. This occurred while the House was already in session to certify the State’s votes for the Presidential election that year as provided in the Constitution. None of the attempted coup participants were arrested that day, although one was shot and killed while attempting to break into the Democratic leadership office. U.S. Capitol police allowed all the insurrectionists to leave without arrest. After President Biden took office, FBI and DoJ investigations identified the insurrectionists involved and arrested, charged, and referred them to trial. Trump pardoned them.
The arrest of the Veterans on Saturday was comparatively much more in line with how U.S. Capitol Police normally enforce law when civilians push past their lines and onto the Capitol steps.
Dave Ott, one of those who observed and took part in the civil disobedience, wrote about why the Veterans were there in a blog post he titled ‘The Line We Chose To Cross.’ He compared the justice of the veterans’ civil disobedience to the injustice of the right-wing participants of the January 6, 2021 coup attempt.
“No one came to battle the Capitol Police, smear shit on the walls, or hang the Vice President. That was never the point. This wasn’t about theatrics or confrontation for its own sake. It was about bearing witness—to a future worth fighting for,” he wrote.
The banner and signs bespoke the obvious reasons for the civil disobedience. Veterans Benefits are being delayed because all throughout the Department of Veterans Affairs, doctors and staff are being cut. Veterans are also concerned about the Presidential activation of National Guard troops onto Los Angeles streets for an emergency created by the President’s own deployment of ICE there. ICE is rounding up thousands of migrants and green card holders and the central cause of chaos in cities throughout the U.S.
Veterans are also alarmed at the deployment of active military to conduct local law enforcement as a result of the ICE caused chaos. California Governor Gavin Newsome has filed suit over the activation of the Army National Guard without his authorization.
Otto described the Veterans group itself was diverse as the country should be, ”There were Cold War vets among us. Vietnam vets, an old fellow in a red shirt with a Ho Chi Minh quote on the back. Gulf War veterans and seasoned peace activists who knew this rhythm well. Those from the post-9/11 wars—it was something newer, something rawer. The war stories the younger vets carry are still hot to the touch.”
Veterans Action Warns Of Things To Come
Several hundred active duty Marines were deployed from Camp Pendleton to Downtown Los Angeles last week in response to protests, in violation of the Posse Comitatus Act, a statue signed into law in 1878, limiting the deployment of U.S. military forces on U.S. soil for domestic police enforcement.
According to a published report, the Marines reportedly detained an Army Veteran attempting to seek treatment at the Department of Veterans Affairs Healthcare Center which is inside the Federal building they were guarding.
On Monday, a published story in the Guardian reported that benefits can be denied based on several discriminatory factors such as political affiliation, marital status, or sexual orientation. According to the report an Executive Order authorized the change to Veterans benefits accession.
Denial of Veterans based on political affiliations, marriage status, or sexual orientation is highly likely to be challenged in Court by Veterans Service Organizations.
