Speaker Mike Johnson Declines Meeting with Veterans Demanding End to War Funding, Leading to Their Arrest at Capitol
Mike Johnson declined to meet with over 60 veterans who visited the Capitol to request that he stop funding Trump’s war. Capitol Police arrested them by zip-tying and removing them.
The veterans arrived at the Cannon Rotunda carrying red tulips to honor Iranian civilians who died in US strikes.
They brought a folded flag to commemorate the 13 American troops killed in the war so far. Their request was simple: meet with us, accept this flag, and pledge to cease funding the war.
They represented seven veterans organizations, including Veterans For Peace, About Face, Common Defense, Military Families Speak Out, the Center on Conscience and War, and 50501 Veterans. These are individuals who have served, experienced loss, and returned from Iraq and Afghanistan only to witness similar events unfold again in Washington.
“Not another nickel, not another dime. We won’t pay for Trump’s war crimes.”
Speaker Johnson did not emerge from his office. He did not send a staff member. He did not accept the flag. Instead, he had Capitol Police zip-tie and remove them.
Mike Prysner, an Iraq War veteran and executive director of the Center on Conscience and War, spoke on behalf of the group before their arrests. His words should be heard in every American home tonight:
“The war I was sent to senselessly claimed the lives of thousands of Americans and a million Iraqis. Like the other veterans here with me today, I have spent the last two decades wishing I could turn back the hands of time and refuse to go. Service members have that chance right now.”
Over 100 US service members have already applied for conscientious objector status to avoid deployment to Iran.
The veterans came to Washington to inform active-duty troops of their legal right to refuse. They came to share information. They came to stand where they once stood. They came to try to prevent the next generation from experiencing what they did.
Mike Johnson refused to face them directly. He used the Capitol Police instead. Veterans were zip-tied in the Cannon Rotunda for the offense of wanting their Speaker to fulfill his constitutional duty.
Congress holds the sole authority to declare war. Johnson has not exercised this authority. Two war powers votes have failed by one or two votes. The ceasefire is set to expire tomorrow.
The bombing could resume at any moment. And the Speaker of the House will not meet with veterans from the last disastrous war to discuss the next one.
These men and women earned the right to be heard. They earned it through their service, their friendships, and their years. And Johnson had them arrested.
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