Protests Block Roads To US Capitol, Push To Pass Social Legislation

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressional members got a different wake up call Tuesday morning after protesters blocked several streets leading to the Capitol building. They said they wanted to disrupt business as usual by encouraging members to pass legislation that would invest in childcare, climate change and healthcare.  

“Fund child care, not warfare,” yelled some protesters.

During Washington D.C.’s early morning rush hour, activists with the movement Shutdown DC blocked traffic around the Capitol. They’re trying to grab the attention of congressional members.

“We’re one of six sites that shut down the city this morning and everybody was elevating a different issue,” said Ladon Love, the executive director of Spaces in Action, which was one of the social groups involved in the protest. “Ours is the child tax credit, healthcare and childcare, but there was one for immigration, two for climate, another for anti-war, another looking at voting rights and racial justice.”

These protesters, which are mix  of different social movements, are calling on congress to pass the roughly two-trillion dollar Build Back Better bill which would prioritize funding for these issues they’ve outlined.

“The idea of closing down these roads is to stop business as usual so we can help elevate the issues we want them to pay attention to,” said Love. “So congress needs to do their job and pass the bill but we’re also making sure they’re investing in the things we need to have investments in.”

On their website, Shutdown DC said as 2021 is coming to an end, passing the programs they voted for and that our communities need is rapidly waning.

The BBB bill has passed the House, but has not been voted on yet in the Senate after two democrats have been hesitant to move forward with this legislation.

After a couple of hours, protesters left their spots in the road and held another rally near the capitol.

Reporter: Do you think your message was heard loud and clear?  “We believe it was heard, we hope it was very clear but we’re not going to give up,” responded Love.