8 climate protesters arrested at Congressional Baseball Game

U.S. Capitol Police working the annual Congressional Baseball Game Wednesday night arrested eight climate protesters as they attempted to storm the baseball diamond during play. Photo courtesy of U.S. Capitol Police/X

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June 13 (UPI) — Eight climate protesters were arrested Wednesday night as they attempted to storm the field of the Congressional Baseball Game at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.

U.S. Capitol Police announced the arrests in a statement, saying the eight people were “quickly stopped” and arrested as they tried to protest on the field during play.

The identities of the protesters were not released to the public, but authorities said they have been charged with the federal offense of interference with a member of the U.S. Capitol Police.

The authorities said they were aware some protesters had organized a protest and they adopted a plan “to ensure we had plenty of resources to swiftly respond.”

Climate Defiance, a youth-led anti-fossil fuels group, took credit for the attempted protest online, posting videos of its members jumping from the stands onto the left outfield.

The videos show the protesters were promptly confronted by police once on the field, some as they were scaling down the outfield wall. Others were tackled to the ground in the outfield.

BREAKING: We have taken the field at the Congressional Baseball Game + play has FROZEN!

Congress sends billions of public $ to subsidize deadly fossil fuels – but the police are tackling us instead.

This Chevron-sponsored game cannot continue. This is unconscionable. pic.twitter.com/ZAM3kmm9f7— Climate Defiance (@ClimateDefiance) June 13, 2024

“We were brutalized tonight — beaten and bruised as we took over the Congressional Baseball Game,” Climate Defiance said in a statement on X.

“Our bodies are bloodied but our spirits are unmoved. We will build a better world. We will rise again. We will prevail. Just you wait.”

The group later confirmed that eight of its members had been arrested and were “behind bars.”

The Congressional Baseball Game is an annual charity event that dates back to the early 1900s. It pits Republicans against Democrats, with the GOP besting their colleagues across the aisle Wednesday night 31-11.

This story was originally published June 13, 2024, 1:24 AM.