Grace and Frankie Star Jane Fonda Arrested for Protesting in Washington, DC

Jane Fonda found herself in a strange position on Friday as she was arrested at the U.S. Capitol. The actress was peacefully protesting climate change after a summer of political action around the issue. She was handcuffed and escorted into police custody after being approached on the east side steps. Video of the arrest has already started to circulate online as people look to see how the protest unfolded before police got involved.

16 people in total were arrested for unlawfully protesting and charged with “crowding, obstructing or incommoding.” Fonda was just one of many there and was actually released several hours later. She pledged to hold weekly demonstrations and this time she stood alongside the group Oil Change International. Many may not realize that she has been an outspoken activist for decades now and this latest protest falls in line with her track record on oil developments.

Thursday saw her issue the pledge to get out and make her presence felt in the ongoing debate about climate change. She issued this statement on her website, “Inspired by Greta [Thunberg] and the youth climate strikes as well as Reverend Barber’s Moral Mondays and Randall Robinson’s often daily anti-apartheid protests, I’ve moved to Washington, D.C. to be closer to the epicenter of the fight for our climate. Every Friday through January, I will be leading weekly demonstrations on Capitol Hill to demand that action by our political leaders be taken to address the climate emergency we are in. We can’t afford to wait.”

“The climate crisis is not an isolated issue — it involves every part of our economy and society. Because of that, each Friday demonstration will have a different focus as it relates to climate,” she continued. “Scientists, movement leaders, experts, activists, Indigenous leaders, community members and youth will come together to share their stories and demand that action be taken before it’s too late. To ensure the topic and its connection to the climate crisis is thoroughly explained, I will host a live-streamed “Teach-In” with a panel of experts each Thursday evening before the demonstration, for the public to attend virtually.”

Climate activist Greta Thunberg organized a massive climate strike earlier in the Fall. Cities all over the world participated to unite for change in the streets. The mainstream coverage of the event was mixed as some felt the pleas would fall on deaf ears. Others were more preoccupied by the failed Area 51 Raid going on near Las Vegas. As these continued protests pop up, it seems as though Thunberg has caused the issue to be at least slightly more present in the minds of some citizens.

Image via Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post via Getty Images