Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) is denying that she was pretending to be handcuffed during a protest outside the Supreme Court.
On Tuesday, House Democrats protested the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the landmark abortion decision Roe v. Wade, and several were arrested for “violations of laws against crowding, obstructing, and incommoding,” according to the Washington Examiner.
Videos showed Ocasio-Cortez and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) being led away from the protests, as they held their hands behind their backs — which led some to speculate they were pretending to be handcuffed.
However, on Wednesday, the New York Congresswoman dismissed the claims in a video shared on her Instagram account.
“Republicans’ favorite hobby is to make conspiracy theories out of everything to distract you and keep you from talking about what’s actually important, which is the fact that they are trying to take away your right to bodily autonomy,” she said.
She asked, “If I was faking [being handcuffed], why would I intentionally fist pump somebody?”
“It’s so silly,” Ocasio-Cortez added.
Watch the video below:
AOC on pretending to be handcuffed: "Republicans' favorite hobby is to make conspiracy theories out of everything." pic.twitter.com/i6UmasTYD6
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) July 20, 2022
She also shared a screenshot of a tweet from Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) that accused her of pretending to be handcuffed.
“Of course [Ocasio-Cortez] fakes being in handcuffs. Performance, not policy is the name of the game up here,” Mace wrote.
Ocasio-Cortez wrote in response, “No faking here. Putting your hands behind your back is a best practice while detained, handcuffed or not, to avoid escalating charges like resisting arrest.”
No faking here. Putting your hands behind your back is a best practice while detained, handcuffed or not, to avoid escalating charges like resisting arrest.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 20, 2022
But given how you lied about a fellow rape survivor for “points,” as you put it to me, I don’t expect much else from you. pic.twitter.com/lUc1TPS21D
After Ocasio-Cortez was arrested, the New York Congresswoman’s campaign sent out an email that read, “Alexandria was just arrested by Capitol Police outside the Supreme Court during an abortion rights demonstration. Rush a $3 contribution to abortion access groups right now to show Congress we stand with AOC and [We Won’t Back Down].”
It added that 100% of the contributions would be sent to pro-abortion groups, including Kansans for Constitutional Freedom, Protect Kentucky Access, and Michigan Reproductive Freedom for All.
The email went on, “Alexandria will not rest until Congress does what needs to be done to codify abortion care as a human right in our country.”
“In the meantime, you can help folks seeking to access [abortion] care right now by splitting a $3 contribution to abortion access groups,” it added.