Secretary of State Rubio’s hearing disrupted; protester arrested at Senate

The U.S. Capitol Police told Fox News Digital one person was arrested for disrupting Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday during his Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Capitol Hill. 

The individual was escorted from the hearing room at the Dirksen Senate Office Building as Rubio was about to deliver his opening statement about U.S. policy towards Venezuela.  

“All right, here we go … you know the drill, off to jail,” Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, said after a man in the audience got up and started yelling about a “war crime” while holding a sign that said “Hands Off Venezuela.” 

“That’s a one-year ban from the committee. Anyone who is a persistent violator will be banned for three years. So, I don’t know whether the guy falls in that category, looks like it,” added Risch, who is the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “I hope after three years he’ll find a more productive means of employment.”

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“Secretary Rubio, we have two hearings a week. You know, you seem to have a more robust following than most of our witnesses that come before us,” Risch added. 

“There’ll be a couple more. Thank you for stopping the clock, but I appreciate it,” Rubio responded. 

The U.S. Capitol Police said the individual was arrested for demonstrating in a committee.  

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“It is against the law to protest inside the congressional buildings,” the U.S. Capitol Police told Fox News Digital.

Prior to the outburst, Risch thanked the audience for their attendance but also warned, “This is a public hearing. It is also the official business of the United States of America. And as a result of that, the committee has a zero-tolerance policy for interruptions or for attempts by anyone in the room to communicate with somebody up here or the witness.

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“So, as a result of that, if you do disrupt, you will be arrested. You’ll be banned for a year,” he continued. “However, I’m told that we have some guests today who have completed their ban and are back with us again today. We hope you’ve had the time to think about your indiscretions and will behave yourself today. If you don’t, as a persistent violator, you’ll be banned for three years this time.”