Court Battles

Two arrested for destruction of property at Supreme Court amid protests

U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) arrested two people Saturday for destruction of property during protests at the Supreme Court in the wake of the decision overturning Roe v. Wade.

The two allegedly threw paint over the fence separating protesters and others from the Supreme Court building, according to USCP.

Demonstrators have accumulated outside the Supreme Court since it released its Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision on Friday, ending federal-level abortion protections and returning authority over abortion access to the states.

The 6-3 decision, written by Justice Samuel Alito, upheld a Mississippi law that bans abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

“Roe was egregiously wrong from the start,” Justice Samuel Alito wrote in his opinion. “Its reasoning was exceptionally weak, and the decision has had damaging consequences. And far from bringing about a national settlement of the abortion issue, Roe and Casey have enflamed debate and deepened division.”

Capitol Police also released an update on heat issues affecting demonstrators at the Supreme Court with temperatures reaching the high 80s.

“The USCP and our local partners worked together to bring in cooling buses & additional people to help demonstrators with heat issues,” the police wrote, sharing that they had helped “roughly 12 people” thus far.

The Capitol Police tweeted an announcement on Friday that demonstrators were gathering “on Capitol Grounds” in front of the Supreme Court.

“Protesters are allowed to peacefully demonstrate,” wrote the police. “However they must follow the officer’s instructions so that everyone stays safe.”