WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar was arrested outside the U.S. Supreme Court after participating in an abortion rights protest, a spokesman for the Democrat confirmed Tuesday.
Omar and a group of lawmakers were part of a crowd in an area near the high court as chants of "our body, our choice" rang out.
The protest comes amid Democratic fury over the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, ending the nationwide right to an abortion and leaving that decision with states.
"Freedom is a cornerstone of our country and we won't go back. #CodifyRoe," Omar tweeted last week.
Advised as an event where Omar would "participate in a civil disobedience," Omar's office also noted in an e-mail to press ahead of the gathering that "these types of protests have led to arrests of lawmakers in the past." U.S. Capitol Police tweeted that they arrested 35 people for blocking traffic, including 17 members of Congress.
In a statement, the Minnesota Republican Party said Omar "is more interested in cheap stunts that score political points."
Omar is running for a third term and facing a challenge from former Minneapolis City Council member Don Samuels in the August DFL primary.
