Ben & Jerry's co-founder tossed from RFK Jr. hearing
Capitol Police quickly removed the protestors, including Cohen, from the room by force. The ice cream company, which is known for supporting liberal causes and candidates, did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment.
Kennedy, known for taking controversial stances on vaccines, has also been criticized by health care advocates for raising questions about the well-established science that AIDS is caused by a virus known as HIV.
At least 87 different groups, including the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care, opposed Kennedy being appointed to lead the country's health agency, which is facing significant cuts under the Trump administration.
For much of the hearing, Democratic lawmakers grilled Kennedy with questions about vaccines, the nation's measles outbreak and how he's been implementing a recently-approved spending bill.
Republican members largely focused their questions on Kennedy's 'Make America Healthy Again' initiative, which is set to receive a $500 million infusion under Trump's budget and has been promoted as ending what the secretary calls the country's "chronic disease epidemic."
Cohen was in D.C. protesting Israel's war in Gaza
Although Cohen was swept up during the Kennedy hearing, he was also inside the Capitol voicing opposition to Israel's ongoing war in Gaza.
Earlier in the day, he joined Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Michigan, and other left-leaning activists at a press conference denouncing the U.S. ally, which this week has intensified its bombardment in the region.
"We are expected to be good Americans and look the other way as Israel prevents food, water and medicine from reaching the remaining people of Gaza. Israel is literally starving them to death," Cohen said at the press event.
"We will not look away. We will not be silenced. We will do everything we can to get our government to stop being complicit in starving little kids to death."
Contributing: Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy
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