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Climate protesters arrested during congressional baseball game

Police subdue a climate protester who ran onto the field at Nationals Park on June 12, 2024. Screenshot from a video by Josie Reich.

At 7:53 p.m., during the second inning of the 91st Congressional Baseball Game at Nationals Park, eight climate protesters jumped over a fence onto the field. Almost immediately, they were pushed onto the field by U.S. Capitol police officers—they had been expecting the raid. The youth climate group Climate Defiance had posted their plan on X the day before.

The police had already guarded the entrances to the pitch before the game began, so the protesters jumped from high up in the stands. Before the game, activists from Climate Defiance shouted slogans in front of the park gate as the spectators streamed in, and there they initially encountered a police cordon.

Some spectators chanted “USA! USA!” as the protesters were handcuffed. Others cheered them on. After the arrests, dozens of police officers lined up around the outfield.

All eight protesters have been charged with obstructing Capitol Police, according to a statement from the US Capitol Police posted on X. The statement said police planned the protests during their meetings leading up to the game.

Climate protesters are escorted out of Nationals Park on June 12, 2024. Screenshot from a video by Josie Reich.

Following a 2017 shooting during practice for a Congressional Baseball Game in Alexandria that left six people injured, including Republican Congressman Steve Scalise, the United States Capitol Police Memorial Fund, which honors the police officers present at the shooting, was added to the list of charities benefitting from the game.