Ben Cohen, the co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s, was one of seven individuals taken into custody after a protest erupted during a U.S. Senate hearing involving Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The 74-year-old entrepreneur was removed from the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee session held on May 15 at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Cohen interrupted the proceedings to protest U.S. involvement in the Gaza conflict, accusing lawmakers of enabling the killing of Palestinian children.
Footage from the scene shows Cohen passionately shouting: “You’re killing poor kids in Gaza and paying for it by cutting Medicaid for kids here!” as police approached. Even while being escorted out, he continued to protest, demanding, “Congress and the senators need to ease the siege. They need to let food into Gaza. They need to let food to starving kids.”
Following his removal, Cohen took to Twitter to explain his actions: “I told Congress they’re killing poor kids in Gaza by buying bombs, and they’re paying for it by kicking poor kids off Medicaid in the US. This was the authorities’ response.”
He added later: “I can’t call myself an American and not put my body on the line. What our government is doing in Gaza is an assault on justice, basic decency, and the values I believed America stood for – the same ones Superman fought for: Truth and Justice.”
Before the hearing, Cohen reportedly attended a pro-Palestinian event with Democratic Representative Rashida Tlaib of Michigan.
During the same committee session, other protestors also disrupted the event, directing accusations at RFK Jr. such as: “RFK kills people with AIDS,” and chanting slogans like “When Bobby lies, children die,” and “Anti-vax, anti-science, anti-America.”
Cohen was among seven arrested, though the six other demonstrators reportedly face charges including resisting arrest and assaulting an officer.
RFK Jr., who was appointed by former President Donald Trump earlier this year to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, faced tough questions during the hearing—particularly about his vaccine views, which have drawn widespread criticism. Many of his claims, including a debunked theory linking vaccines to autism, were brought up, leading to renewed calls from some for his resignation.