Chanting "End AIDS with the Robin Hood tax, no more budget cuts on our back," several naked protesters -- three women, four men -- and clothed supporters stormed into Speaker John Boehner's office Tuesday to protest funding cuts to HIV/AIDS research.
Several people, including Buzzfeed's Chris Geidner, managed to snap photos (and NSFW video) of the incident, at which Capitol Police arrested three female protesters for indecent exposure.
Hill Protest: “Boehner, Boehner, don’t be a dick. Budget cuts will make us sick.” [explicit photo] twitpic.com/bgzruj
— Chris Geidner (@chrisgeidner) November 27, 2012
Naked protesters in .speakerboehner's office chanting against budget cuts to AIDS funding #nsfw instagr.am/p/SiuTrNQBwy/
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) November 27, 2012
"Act up, Fight Back, Fight AIDS," chant naked protesters and supporters in Speaker Boehner's office. twitter.com/fightbackradio…
— TheFightBack (@fightbackradio) November 27, 2012
The activists were from the New York-based Voices Of Community Advocates & Leaders, who also promoted the protest on Twitter.
after media left, naked #AIDS activists from @healthgap &@queerocracynyc were arrested after Boehner budget cuts action twitter.com/VOCALNewYork/s…
— VOCAL-NY (@VOCALNewYork) November 27, 2012
at least 7 naked #AIDS activists inside Boehner's office protesting budget cuts, >50 right outside office in hallway twitter.com/VOCALNewYork/s…
— VOCAL-NY (@VOCALNewYork) November 27, 2012
.@queerocracynyc's Meghan arrested ~ 1pm at Boehner's office after cops said they culd leave after naked #AIDS protest twitter.com/VOCALNewYork/s…
— VOCAL-NY (@VOCALNewYork) November 27, 2012
Talking Points Memo's Sahil Kapur issued this report:
The screaming, fully-nude protesters stood still in the center of the office, together in a line but facing in different directions. The room quickly filled up with members of the activist groups they belong to, observers taking photographs, a handful of reporters, and, eventually, police.
After police showed up and repeatedly threatened to arrest the protesters for indecent exposure, they eventually put on their clothes and walked out of the Speaker’s office. The three female protesters stuck around in the hallway to speak to reporters and were arrested anyway; the four male protesters appeared to get away, the organizers said.