Dozens of young left-wing activists were arrested Thursday after staging a sit-in inside Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-NY) Washington office, demanding that Democrats replace their longtime leader and abolish the Senate filibuster when they take control of Congress in January.
The Sunrise Movement, a left-wing youth climate organization, said 54 protesters were arrested after hundreds of demonstrators traveled to Washington for the action. Another 150 activists visited the offices of every Democratic senator to deliver letters demanding a new direction for the party, the group said.
U.S. Capitol Police confirmed 54 arrests at Schumer’s personal office in the Hart Senate Office Building, saying the protesters were charged with crowding, obstructing, and incommoding.
Video posted by the organization showed protesters sitting on the floor of Schumer’s office and chanting, “Hey hey, ho ho, Schumer has got to go!” Demonstrators held signs reading “The filibuster kills,” “Stop the climate crisis,” and “Schumer: Step up or step aside.”
The arrests come as Schumer faces mounting pressure from within his own party to surrender the leadership post after nearly a decade at the helm of Senate Democrats. Several incoming senators have opposed his continued leadership, and some have backed Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) as an alternative.
The protesters delivered a letter to Schumer arguing “after a collective decade of Schumer leadership it was time for change,” according to the Guardian. The group also warned Democrats that failing to deliver on their agenda could jeopardize the party’s prospects in the 2028 elections.
Sunrise campaigns director Kidus Girma said the Thursday demonstration was one of several actions planned over the next two weeks targeting Democratic senators.
“Young people went to Senator Chuck Schumer’s office to demand a Senate majority leader that would fight for the young people who elected a historic blue wave last week,” Girma said. “They’re demanding change, not the same old, same old.”
According to the Guardian, three people were arrested Tuesday during an earlier sit-in at Schumer’s office organized by the youth advocacy group Get Free, which demanded that Democratic leaders take more aggressive action following the midterm elections.
Sunrise first attracted national attention in 2018, when activists staged a sit-in at then-House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s office to demand action on climate change. The organization helped popularize the Green New Deal alongside Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and has since backed leftist candidates across the country.
Van Hollen said Monday that he had not ruled out challenging Schumer, arguing that Democrats should not simply give their longtime leader a “coronation” after winning the Senate.
“I’m in listening mode and haven’t shut the door,” Van Hollen told reporters.
Michigan Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed (D) has endorsed Van Hollen, calling him an “amazing Senate majority leader.” Senator-elect Adam Hamilton (D-KS) has also called Schumer a polarizing figure and said the party needs “new, younger leadership” and “fresh ideas.”
The Senate Democratic caucus is expected to hold its leadership vote in December. Schumer remains the favorite, despite the growing insurgency within the Democratic base.
