Ben Cohen, co-founder of the progressive ice cream brand Ben & Jerry’s, was arrested on Capitol Hill on Wednesday during a protest that disrupted a Senate hearing involving health and human services secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr.
According to Fox News, Cohen was among seven individuals detained by the United States Capitol Police (USCP) during the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee hearing. He was charged with “crowding, obstructing, or incommoding,” while others faced additional charges of resisting arrest and assaulting police officers.
The protest erupted shortly after Kennedy began his testimony, with demonstrators shouting, “RFK kills people with hate!” as seen in footage.
USA Today reported some protesters moved toward the front of the hearing room and were forcibly removed by police. Video showed Cohen being pulled out by an officer as Sen Bill Cassidy, who was chairing the session, paused the proceedings. “That was a made-for-C-SPAN moment,” Cassidy remarked after order was restored.
Cohen, a long-time activist, later said on X, formerly Twitter, “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.” Sharing footage of his removal, he added, “This was the authorities' response”.
Earlier that day, Cohen also appeared at a press conference with Representative Rashida Tlaib and other progressive activists, criticising US support for Israel during its ongoing war in Gaza.
“We are expected to be good Americans and look the other way as Israel prevents food, water and medicine from reaching the remaining people of Gaza,” Cohen said, as quoted by USA Today. “We will not look away. We will not be silenced.”
Cohen’s arrest is not his first in Washington. In 2023, he was detained while protesting outside the Department of Justice over the imprisonment of Julian Assange, Fox News noted.
Ben & Jerry’s has long been associated with left-leaning political activism. The company, acquired by Unilever in 2000, still maintains an independent board to preserve its advocacy work. In 2021, it made headlines by halting sales in Israeli settlements in the West Bank, referring to them as “Occupied Palestinian Territory,” reported Axios.
According to Fox News, Cohen was among seven individuals detained by the United States Capitol Police (USCP) during the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee hearing. He was charged with “crowding, obstructing, or incommoding,” while others faced additional charges of resisting arrest and assaulting police officers.
The protest erupted shortly after Kennedy began his testimony, with demonstrators shouting, “RFK kills people with hate!” as seen in footage.
Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Ben Cohen among protesters removed from RFK Jr. hearing on HHS budget pic.twitter.com/ZxYnY7IFMt
— Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) May 14, 2025
USA Today reported some protesters moved toward the front of the hearing room and were forcibly removed by police. Video showed Cohen being pulled out by an officer as Sen Bill Cassidy, who was chairing the session, paused the proceedings. “That was a made-for-C-SPAN moment,” Cassidy remarked after order was restored.
Cohen, a long-time activist, later said on X, formerly Twitter, “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.” Sharing footage of his removal, he added, “This was the authorities' response”.
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. This was the authorities' response. pic.twitter.com/uOf7xrzzWM
— Ben Cohen (@YoBenCohen) May 14, 2025
Earlier that day, Cohen also appeared at a press conference with Representative Rashida Tlaib and other progressive activists, criticising US support for Israel during its ongoing war in Gaza.
“We are expected to be good Americans and look the other way as Israel prevents food, water and medicine from reaching the remaining people of Gaza,” Cohen said, as quoted by USA Today. “We will not look away. We will not be silenced.”
Cohen’s arrest is not his first in Washington. In 2023, he was detained while protesting outside the Department of Justice over the imprisonment of Julian Assange, Fox News noted.
Ben & Jerry’s has long been associated with left-leaning political activism. The company, acquired by Unilever in 2000, still maintains an independent board to preserve its advocacy work. In 2021, it made headlines by halting sales in Israeli settlements in the West Bank, referring to them as “Occupied Palestinian Territory,” reported Axios.
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