A series of protests disrupted the opening minutes of the confirmation hearing for attorney general nominee Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., with opponents of the nominee apparently staggering their interruptions for maximum effect.
First up were a pair of demonstrators posing as Ku Klux Klan members masquerading as Sessions supporters, who erupted into protest at the outset in order to highlight charges of racism against him.
That took long. First @jeffsessions protesters (posing as KKK members) already kicked out. pic.twitter.com/lUOojYxo6U— Cameron Joseph (@cam_joseph) January 10, 2017
“Wait a minute, you can’t arrest me, I’m white. White people don’t get arrested,” one yelled as Capitol police pulled him out of the hearing room.
Soon after, a protester from the group Code Pink wearing a pink glittery hat resembling the Statue of Liberty was hauled out after emitting high-pitched laughter when Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., described Sessions as a man of integrity who has a stellar conservative voting record.
Protestor #3 (@codepink) dragged put for laughing when @SenShelby said @jeffsessions treats "all Americans fairly" pic.twitter.com/46rxGHO7I2— Cameron Joseph (@cam_joseph) January 10, 2017
“This man is evil! Pure evil!” the woman shouted as she was removed.
Then some highly animated men were brusquely ejected from the proceedings, with one shouting, “No Trump, no KKK, no fascist USA.”
Just a few minutes later, a third protester, a Hispanic woman, was hauled out after standing up and yelling, “Stop these fascist pigs from getting into power!”
Another three protestors dragged out after interrupting @jeffsessions opening statement with "No Trump, no KKK. No fascist USA" chants pic.twitter.com/oTqnvWsOaq— Cameron Joseph (@cam_joseph) January 10, 2017
With several in the audience dressed in garb suggesting they also intend protests, it seemed likely more disruptions are on tap.
One group of protesters sitting in the front row of the public section was wearing red hats and t-shirts with various anti-Sessions slogans. One reads: “Great Americans smoke Sessions.” Another reads: “Great Americans Grow Cannabis (like George Washington).”
