Religious leaders protesting budget cuts arrested in Capitol

That’s a photo of Christian and Jewish religious leaders—including my boss Jennifer Butler, Executive Director of Faith in Public Life—getting arrested today for praying in the Capitol Rotunda in protest of budget cuts that will harm the poor.

From the Associated Press:

WASHINGTON — Eleven religious leaders protesting budget cuts affecting the poor were arrested in the Capitol Thursday as the House began debate on a bill to cut spending and raise the debt ceiling.

Before making the arrests, police cleared the Capitol Rotunda where the protesters, organized by the group Common Cause, were kneeling, praying and singing.

Democratic Rep. Chellie Pingree of Maine said on the House floor that they were praying for those who will be “hurt the hardest” by the bill being considered.

While I’m not the world’s biggest fan of protests, I’m overjoyed to see religious leaders continuing to stand up for the “least of these.”