Jamaal Brown, the representative for New York’s 16th congressional district, was arrested on Thursday during a voting rights protest at the US Capitol, his office said in a statement. The US Capitol Police department said it had arrested more than two dozen people in connection to the protest that was held hours after Democrats failed to change Senate rules in order to pass voting rights legislation ahead of the 2022 midterm elections.

Also read: What does Doomsday Clock 2022 being set at 100 seconds from midnight mean?

Marcus Frias, a spokesman for Bowman, confirmed the arrest saying that the representative had ‘joined a voting rights non-violent direct action at the North Barricade’. 

“Today, Congressman Jamaal Bowman joined a voting rights non-violent direct action at the North Barricade of the US Capitol Building and was arrested by the US Capitol Police. We will provide more information and updates as we gather them,” the statement read. 

Also read: US VP Kamala Harris: Russia will pay ‘severe costs’ if it invades Ukraine

The US Capitol Police on Thursday said that ‘just before noon demonstrators started blocking one side of the North Barricade outside the Capitol’.

“The that officers started making arrests after issuing three warnings to the protesters. The demonstrators refused to move out of the driveway, so we are making arrests.”it added. 

“We made a total of 27 arrests for Crowding, Obstructing or Incommoding (DC Code § 22–1307), and one for violating U.S. Capitol Police Traffic Regulation Section 16.3 (Crowd Control). The demonstration activity is all clear,” the department tweeted at about 1:30 PM. 

Also read: Chiefs linerback Willie Gay arrested for misdemeanor criminal damage

Bowman’s office said that some of the other demonstrators arrested on Thursday included “faith leaders and youth who have been hunger striking for our democracy.”

The 45-year-old on Wednesday had tweeted,”Our democracy is on the line, and the Senate must act and pass voting rights immediately. We’re outside the Senate steps sounding the alarm.”