Ben Cohen, the 74-year-old co-founder of the iconic ice cream brand Ben & Jerry’s, was arrested on Capitol Hill after he loudly confronted Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during a Senate committee hearing.
The disruption occurred as RFK Jr. was testifying. Cohen stood up and shouted:
“Congress sent the bombs that kill children in Gaza and paid for them with cuts to Medicaid!”
His outburst was part of a protest against U.S. military aid to Israel and the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Video footage captured the moment Cohen was removed from the room by Capitol Police.
Cohen was one of seven protesters arrested during the hearing. He was charged with “crowding, obstructing, or incommoding” congressional proceedings, a common misdemeanor charge used for such disruptions.
