‘PASS PEPFAR NOW!’

Protesters Arrested for Storming Kevin McCarthy’s Office

Among those arrested were Housing Works CEO Charles King and Health GAP executive director Asia Russell.

A group of seven activists were arrested for unlawful entry on Monday morning after storming House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s office to demand the passage of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, Capitol Police confirmed to The Daily Beast. The activists—which Health Global Access Project and Housing Works confirmed on Twitter belonged to their groups—chanted “pass PEPFAR now” as they sat in McCarthy’s office with their arms linked. House Republicans have opposed the reauthorization of PEPFAR, a governmental effort to combat HIV, and are expected to pass over the deadline to do so on Sept. 30. Housing Works CEO Charles King and Health GAP executive director Asia Russell were among those arrested, the groups said. “This global AIDS program has saved 25 million lives. We need a CLEAN 5-YEAR REAUTHORIZATION from Congress,” Housing Works tweeted. Pictures posted on Twitter showed Capitol police lining the activists up against the wall and handcuffing them with zip ties before leading them out of the building. The Daily Beast contacted McCarthy’s reps, Health GAP, and Housing Works for comment.

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