Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez denounced House Republicans who scoffed at new security measures at the Capitol in the wake of the deadly insurrection

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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez denounced House Republicans who scoffed at new security measures at the Capitol in the wake of the deadly insurrection
Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.Courtesy of the US House of Representatives
  • Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez slammed House Republicans who refused to comply with safety measures implemented after the deadly Capitol siege on January 6.
  • A number of House Republicans were observed flouting the new protocols, which included walking through a metal detector, with some GOP lawmakers walking around them or pushing past Capitol police officers, according to reporters on Capitol Hill.
  • "All these GOP 'pro-police' slogans were never actually abt safety," Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. "It was always abt upholding a system of state violence that targets Black ppl & ppl of color. You can tell by how regularly GOP members defend crimes, reject accountability, & push officers when *they* want to."
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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez slammed House Republicans who refused to comply with new safety protocols implemented at the Capitol building in the wake of the deadly insurrection on January 6.

GOP representatives sparred with and pushed past Capitol police who asked them to walk through metal detectors before entering the chamber as the House voted on a resolution to call on Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment.

The resolution was adopted largely along party lines in a 223-205 vote, with one Republican joining Democrats in supporting it.

GOP freshman congresswoman Lauren Boebert, who has engaged with QAnon conspiracy theories, refused to walk through the metal detector and allow Capitol police to search her bag, according to reporter Marc Rod. Boebert was later allowed to enter the chamber; it's unclear if her bag was searched.

Rep. Steve Scalise was photographed by CNN's Manu Raju with his arms crossed in front of the magnetometer, calling the new protocol "untenable" because it "impedes the ability of members to come and vote. This is our job." Rep. Louie Gohmert walked around the metal detector, Fuller reported, telling police as he passed by: "You can't stop me; I'm on my way to a vote."

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Read more: House Republicans scoff at new security measures in place at the US Capitol less than a week after Trump provoked a violent insurrection

GOP Rep. Steve Womack shouted that he was "physically restrained" as he was forced to go through a metal detector, and Rep. Markwayne Mullin said it was his "constitutional right" to refuse to walk through and the Capitol police "cannot stop" him.

Ocasio-Cortez wrote in a Tuesday tweet condemning the congresspeople who refused to comply with Capitol police.

"It's almost as though GOP members promoting videos of themselves illegally carrying firearms on Capitol grounds, posting images of themselves holding guns next to Democratic members,& inciting an attack on the Capitol has consequences!" she wrote. "Naturally, GOP are crying & playing victim."

"All these GOP 'pro-police' slogans were never actually abt safety," Ocasio-Cortez wrote in a follow-up tweet. "It was always abt upholding a system of state violence that targets Black ppl & ppl of color."

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"You can tell by how regularly GOP members defend crimes, reject accountability, & push officers when *they* want to," she continued.

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