By the time this post goes up Judge Kavanaugh will likely have been confirmed so consider this a flashback to the events earlier in the day when protesters were still eager to turn out in force in hopes of somehow blocking his confirmation. It started with protesters getting training of some kind:
Hundreds are getting trained for direct action this morning. We’re also providing self-defense training for women and femmes, sign-making areas, and spots where women can write love letters to each other.
Our power is in our ferocious solidarity.
📸 @KishaBari#CancelKanavaugh pic.twitter.com/qZg5Sro72E
— Women's March (@womensmarch) October 6, 2018
At some point, a group of protesters made their way to Susan Collins house:
This AM, a group of #WomensMarch members gathered outside @SenatorCollins’ house to appeal to her #WomanToWoman about her support of Kavanaugh.
We know how this vote will likely go. But we’re not going to make it easy on them. We’re in this until the very end. #CancelKavanaugh pic.twitter.com/yZ9pSwMacW
— Women's March (@womensmarch) October 6, 2018
Protesters eventually made their way to the U.S. Capitol where police were lined up to keep them off the Capitol steps. But protesters had apparently decided standing on the steps was one of their goals. That’s one of the things they had received training for apparently:
This morning: Training preparing #WomensMarch members to take the Capitol. #CancelKavanaugh
📸 @brookesaias pic.twitter.com/8wkttPSWq6— Women's March (@womensmarch) October 6, 2018
Here are the trained protesters running up the steps:
.@womensmarch just took the Capitol. Women, survivors, and allies walked straight past the police, climbed over barricades, and sat down on the Capitol steps.
It was hard not do feel depleted this morning. But I don’t anymore. This was inspiring. We’re ready for this. pic.twitter.com/YIlDrelaiz
— Sophie Ellman-Golan (@EgSophie) October 6, 2018
I guess the goal at this point was to create some kind of symbolic moral victory: Yes, Kavanaugh got confirmed but, hey, we stormed the Capitol like it was the beaches at Normandy! That’s why every moment of this historic act needed to be recorded for posterity:
That moment women showed this administration: your chains, fences, and walls won’t stop us. #CancelKavanaugh #FloodTheCapitol #NoJusticeNoSeat
📸 @KishaBari pic.twitter.com/wBAdREe4O2
— Women's March (@womensmarch) October 6, 2018
And here’s the requisite “we have already won” messaging:
"Because of your energy and grassroots energy across the nation, we have already won. This vote is part of a bigger picture." — @womensmarch co-President @bobblanddesign #NoJusticeNoSeat pic.twitter.com/zNe1FPBKW1
— Planned Parenthood Action (@PPact) October 6, 2018
Anyway, once the protesters got up on the steps, there was a lot of chanting:
This is what democracy looks like! #CancelKavanaugh pic.twitter.com/6J8mOFWjU0
— Women's March (@womensmarch) October 6, 2018
“Black Lives Matter” was one of the chants for reasons I’m sure make sense to someone:
Well I’d say that the Kavanaugh protesters chanting black lives matter have lost the plot pic.twitter.com/aZSPLW7e60
— Jaredo Texas (@JaredoTexas) October 6, 2018
After a little while, police started arresting everyone on the steps:
Capitol Police clearing the steps of protesters. pic.twitter.com/c7o0FGVTnc
— Jonathan D. Salant (@JDSalant) October 6, 2018
As the cops did their job calmly and professionally, the protesters turned to a NSFW chant of “F**k this s**t!”
https://twitter.com/dontbeafraid08/status/1048638633350189064
All the arrestees were released a short time later which was cause for celebration and also fundraising:
The sheroes arrested on the US Capitol Steps earlier today are being released!
This #WomensWave can’t be stopped. Donate to keep the wave going here: https://t.co/FBaXHU0cgD
📸@KishaBari pic.twitter.com/qzGuw1t8fx
— Women's March (@womensmarch) October 6, 2018
Clearly, Women’s March supporters remain as upset about “XX” being on the Supreme Court as they were the moment “XX” was announced as the nominee. And since they couldn’t stop him, they need something else to feel good about.
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