On Tuesday, over 30 Democrats, including 17 Democratic lawmakers, including squad member Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), were arrested outside the U.S. Supreme Court for blocking First Street NE. As Spencer highlighted at the time, it was quite a spectacle, with AOC and the others pretending to be handcuffed, though the congresswoman did at one point drop the charade to engage in a fist-pump.
Sarah highlighted earlier how ABC News was criticized for falling for the stunt. Many others, though, saw right through the scheme and mocked the Democratic lawmakers for such a stunt.
Politics has become performative art. So of course @aoc fakes being in handcuffs. Performance, not policy, is the name of the game up here. ??????? pic.twitter.com/rs3kZPs4Vq
— Nancy Mace (@NancyMace) July 20, 2022
The arrests starting taking place at about 1:20pm on Tuesday, after police had given the protesters three warnings. Shortly after 1:30pm on Wednesday, AOC finally addressed her act, by responding to Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) who was among those calling her out over Twitter. "Politics has become performative art," Mace's tweet read in part. "Performance, not policy, is the name of the game up here."
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
AOC claimed that she was not, in fact, faking it, but that it was "a best practice while detained, handcuffed or not, to avoid escalating charges like resisting arrest." She then went after Mace on a personal level, claiming she "lied about a fellow rape survivor for 'points.'"
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), another squad member, who also was arrested, retweeted AOC's response.
As our friends at Twitchy highlighted, many took issue with AOC claiming it was the "best practice," especially since she departed from said "best practice" for the fist pump.
??????????????????????
— Af1ershock (@f1ershock) July 20, 2022
IT TOOK YOU THIS LONG??? AND THATS ALL YOU CAME UP WITH?? https://t.co/ofNkbIhoyG
Why did you raise your fist then lol
— Mostly Peaceful Memes (@MostlyPeacefull) July 20, 2022
Cops are in the replies saying it’s better to keep your hands where they can see them. You only put them behind your back if you’re told to, and they only tell you to if they’re going to cuff you.
— Seth Dillon (@SethDillon) July 20, 2022
What about a sudden fist pump for the crowd and the press?
— Damin Toell (@damintoell) July 20, 2022
Why would you raise a fist then? https://t.co/k1U2BFFZ8J
— Alex Griswold (@HashtagGriswold) July 20, 2022
Mace herself responded to AOC's tweet, complete with video of the arrest, as she also took issue with the fist bump.
Idk. Here you are @aoc breaking your fake handcuff pose for a good fist pump and shout out to the crowd - looking “tough”! Good theater though… ??????????? https://t.co/0kfihuevYa pic.twitter.com/68rjopkdMi
— Nancy Mace (@NancyMace) July 20, 2022
The tweet even got under the List's radar.
??uh??oh?? https://t.co/HriiQV6Uv3 pic.twitter.com/tBmXxGMUly
— The List (@ListComesForAll) July 20, 2022
The arrests took place at a pro-abortion rally protesting the U.S. Supreme Court's decision last month in Dobbs v. Jackson that overturned Roe v. Wade.