"Ben Cohen Arrested at Senate Protest: Advocating for Children in Gaza and Medicaid Cuts"
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"Ben Cohen Arrested at Senate Protest: Advocating for Children in Gaza and Medicaid Cuts"
[!CDATA[Ben Cohen, the co-founder of Ben Jerry’s Ice Cream, was arrested during a protest at a Senate hearing where he accused Congress of funding bombs that are causing harm in Gaza. The protest took place during a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing, where Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was testifying on the 2026 budget for his department. Cohen and six others were arrested by Capitol Police during the demonstration. The protesters were expressing concerns about the impact of U.S.-funded bombs on children in Gaza and proposed cuts to Medicaid that could harm underprivileged children. During the protest, Cohen shouted about Congress funding bombs that are causing harm in Gaza and the potential negative effects of Medicaid cuts on poor children in the U.S. The protesters were removed from the hearing by Capitol Police, with Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana commenting on the incident as a "made for C-SPAN moment." The protesters were charged with various offenses, including crowding, obstructing, and incommoding. Some protesters faced additional charges of resisting arrest and assault on a police officer. Cohen was later released from custody. Ben Jerry’s Ice Cream company, co-founded by Cohen, has a history of corporate activism and has been critical of the Israeli government in the past. The company was not immediately available for comment on the incident. The protest at the Senate hearing highlighted concerns about the impact of U.S. policies on children in Gaza and the potential consequences of proposed Medicaid cuts on vulnerable populations.]]