Rosario Dawson was arrested and released on Friday, April 15, at a Democracy Spring protest in Washington, D.C. The Daredevil actress was one of more than 400 demonstrators who were arrested for their involvement in the ongoing protests challenging corruption in politics.
“This is a tremendous issue, and I’m grateful that I could be here and be a part of it,” she told reporters in a YouTube clip that has since circulated the internet. “I wanted for me, personally, to be in solidarity with the people who put themselves on the line.”
She was fined $50 and processed on site.
Dawson, 36, was apprehended for “crowding, obstructing, or incommoding” after she crossed police lines during the rally. She admitted to reporters that she and other protesters were warned “multiple times” that they would be arrested if they continued to demonstrate in that particular area.
“I think there was maybe a desire to not particularly maybe have me arrested because they didn’t want that to be put out there,” she said. “So we got up when they walked away and we sat down and we were arrested … We were putting ourselves on the line for what a lot of people across America and I think across the planet really want to be able to see happen in America, which is one person, one vote, and to really take the money out of politics so that we can have fair elections where real progressives and people can be going up and running for office and be seen and we can have true options for our leadership.”
Dawson wore a leather jacket with Bernie Sanders’ face painted on it and carried a sign with the words “Overturned Citizens United.”
Though she was arrested for her actions, Dawson told reporters that “the police were really great with us and really lovely. I have to say that is not the case for so many people.”
The Sin City actress was previously arrested at a rally protesting former President George W. Bush in 2004.
