Ben Cohen, a cofounder of the ice cream brand Ben & Jerry’s, was removed from a Senate committee hearing and arrested on Wednesday after he protested against war in Gaza.
Video of the incident showed him standing with several protesters, with some holding up signs, while Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was speaking.
“Congress sends the bombs that kill children in Gaza and pays with cuts to Medicaid,” Cohen shouted as he stood up.
Sen. Bill Cassidy told the group that disruptions wouldn’t be permitted and had them removed from the room.
The Capitol Police had told Cohen and others in the room to cease their action.
He was shown outside the committee room with his hands zip-tied behind his back as an officer walked him down the hallway.
Cohen was charged with a misdemeanor punishable by a $500 fine or 90 days in jail.
The other protesters face charges including assaulting a police officer or resisting arrest, a statement sent to outlets including Axios says. The Capitol Police didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.
Cohen posted footage of the incident on X.
In a later interview with NewsNation, Cohen clarified his comments and said Congress had been cutting healthcare for poor kids and was now “using the money they save doing that to bomb other poor kids in Gaza.”
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Ben & Jerry’s is no stranger to political and social activism. In November, the company sued its owner, Unilever, accusing it of silencing its political statements supporting Palestinians.
In another filing in March, Ben & Jerry’s accused Unilever of ousting its CEO in an attempt to “silence the social mission.”
In 2021, the brand faced backlash for refusing to sell its ice cream in Palestinian territories occupied by Israeli forces.
Israel and Hamas have been engaged in a conflict following the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israeli civilians. A cease-fire and hostage agreement were announced in January, but fighting has continued since then.
