On Wednesday (May 15), Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was testifying before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee on Capitol Hill when he was interrupted by several activists who chanted, “RFK kills people with AIDS.” Kennedy jumped up from his seat, reacting to the commotion as Cohen yelled, “Congress pays for bombs to kill children in Gaza,” and “They need to let food into Gaza, they need to let food [in] to starving kids!” before he was detained by Capitol Police officers.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Cohen shared a video of the protest as seen on CSPAN before he was grabbed by police officers. The video then showed him being walked out of the hearing in handcuffs. “I told Congress they’re killing poor kids in Gaza by buying bombs, and they’re paying for it by kicking poor kids off Medicaid in the US,” he wrote. “This was the authorities’ response.” Cohen has been charged with incommoding, or inconveniencing others, according to the Capitol Police. The charge carries a penalty of 90 days in prison and a $500 fine if convicted. Cohen would be released later, but six other activists who were arrested are still in custody.
The vocal protest set the tone for Kennedy’s hearing, which showed him being fuzzy concerning several cuts made by Health and Human Services to people’s healthcare plans. New Jersey Senator Andy Kim grilled Kennedy about the elimination of the World Trade Center health plan for those affected after the 9/11 attacks, which have been restored. “But why were they cut in the first place?” he asked.
Thre 74-year-old has been a staunch progressive activist for years, having signed his name to a letter by A Statement From Jewish Americans Opposing AIPAC, which calls for an end to the infuluence of lobbyists working on behalf of the Israeli government. Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, the other founder, have been highly vocal about their political beliefs which include criticism of Israel’s occupation of the West Bank. The company is mostly owned by Unilever since 2000, and the pair have been at odds with Unilever, suing them last year over allegations that it fired a chief brand executive who attempted to show support for Palestinian refugees.
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