Executive Director Wenonah Hauter Arrested During Record-Setting Week of Action

“Money out, voters in – we believe that we can win!”

Today marked the final day of Democracy Awakening after a week of protests, rallies and workshops that began on April 11th with Democracy Spring. Over 900 people have been arrested and thousands more have come out in support.

The message? Congress is failing to do its job, and we will not let them ignore the will of the American people any longer.

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Executive Director Wenonah Hauter and biologist, author and activist Sandra Steingraber addressed the crowds yesterday, Sunday April 17th. Food & Water Watch was also proud to join several panel discussions and workshops.

#DemocracyAwakening environment panel kicking off w/@WenonahHauter @lindseyberger @c_hight @iowacci pic.twitter.com/fhmyzjDmRc

— Thomas Meyer (@ThomasMeyer24) April 16, 2016

“We are at the brink of a political revolution and its been spurred by a diverse movement of millions of young people who are engaging in politics like never before and challenging the politics of the status quo. We need to follow their lead. It’s a matter of life or death. The dirty energy thugs are using our system of legalized bribery to buy politicians of both political parties. They intend to drill for every last drop of oil and gas no matter the consequences.” – Wenonah Hauter

Today, over 60 movement and organizational leaders, including Wenonah, Assistant Director Patty Lovera, and Action Network Leader Katy Kiefer were arrested on the steps of the Capitol. We chose to join in this historic event – a record for civil disobedience over democracy issues in this last century – because it is crucial that we get money out of politics.

.@WenonahHauter, Asst Dir Patty Lovera, and @thekatykiefer just arrested in civil disobedience at #DemocracyAwakens pic.twitter.com/wKi31KCmRr

— Food & Water Watch (@foodandwater) April 18, 2016

Read Wenonah Hauter’s call to action for people and planet.

On voting rights, money in politics, environmental exploitation and the recent vacancy on U.S. Supreme Court, Congress is failing to do its job and ignoring the will of the people. Democracy Awakening isn’t the end of something, but the beginning of a new phase in the movement for democracy.

Those who planned to risk arrest included top leaders of the AFL-CIO, All Souls Unitarian Church, the American Federation of Government Employees, the American Postal Workers Union, Campaign for America’s Future, Democracy Initiative, Center for Popular Democracy, Communications Workers of America, Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, Every Voice, Food & Water Watch, Franciscan Action Network, Free Speech for People, Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, Jobs With Justice, the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church; the NAACP, Oil Change International, Public Citizen, Sierra Club, the United Church of Christ, the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, We Are Casa, the Yes Men and 350.org.

Also risking arrest were NAACP president and CEO Cornell William Brooks; the Rev. William Barber II, pastor and Moral Monday architect; radio commentator Jim Hightower; and Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, co-founders of Ben and Jerry’s.