North Carolina’s Rep. Alma Adams arrested in abortion-rights protest outside Capitol

U.S. Rep. Alma Adams has been arrested outside the U.S. Capitol in a protest in support of abortion rights.

The North Carolina Democrat, along with other lawmakers and around 50 demonstrators, sat down on First Street NE outside the Capitol building and blocked the road.

Video of the protest showed the crowd shouting “Bans off our bodies. Our bodies, our choice.”

Capitol Police gave three warnings to demonstrators to move before beginning arrests. Adams was among the first to be removed by officers.

Capitol Police said in a tweet Tuesday afternoon that officers arrested 35 people, including 17 members of Congress, for crowding, obstructing or incommoding.

Inside the Capitol, Adams’ colleagues began debating two bills, one that would protect the right to marriage for same-sex couples and the other that would protect access to contraception. Both bills were put forward to address concerns raised by the Supreme Court’s decision last month to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Adams, 76, is a Democrat who represents the Charlotte area and has served in Congress since 2014.

This story was originally published July 19, 2022 at 1:43 PM.

Danielle Battaglia

McClatchy DC

Danielle Battaglia is the D.C. correspondent for The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer, leading coverage of North Carolina’s congressional delegation and elections. She also covers the White House. Her career has spanned three North Carolina newsrooms where she has covered crime, courts and local, state and national politics. She has won two McClatchy President’s awards and numerous national and state awards for her work.