What is the Code Pink organization? The reason behind activists’ arrest at Bernie Sanders' office explained 

On Wednesday, October 4, eleven protestors (based in Vermont) from the feminist antiwar organization Code Pink were arrested at Independent Senator Bernie Sanders’ office in Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.

They were protesting against the Russian invasion of Ukraine and demanding that the Senator negotiate diplomatic terms to end the ongoing war instead of sending aid to Ukraine, including arms, ammunition, and relief efforts.

The Code Pink protestors were taken into police custody as they surrounded the office of Senator Sanders and were crowding the area, which according to the D.C. government office code is prohibited.

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Code Pink was founded in November 2002

As per its official website, Code Pink, or CODEPINK is “a feminist grassroots organization” focused on ending U.S. imperialism and global warfare, supporting human rights projects, and redirecting resources and infrastructure into fields such as education, healthcare, and green jobs.

It was founded on November 17, 2022, by Medea Benjamin, Jodie Evans, Diane Wilson, Starhawk, and over a hundred other women in the wake of the USA’s war on Iraq. Initially, the goal was to establish a 4-month vigil in front of the White House and protest against the ongoing war.

The movement encouraged many Americans to join them, including several other organizations such as Global Exchange, Greenpeace, WILPF, WAND, Public Citizen, NOW, Women for Women International, and Neighbors for Peace and Justice, among others.

On March 8, 2003, on the auspicious day of International Women’s Day, the vigil reached its climax, and Code Pink declared women "global peacemakers.” In fact, a week full of rallies, marches, protests, and other activities were held around the White House premises, the theme color of which was pink.

More than 10,000 people (mostly women) were part of the event, and 25 women, among those who were leading from the front, were arrested near the White House main gate while on a peaceful protest.

Since then, Code Pink has become operational. While yellow, orange, and red were used as signals for terrorist threats, war, and violence by President George W. Bush’s then-administration, this women-led organization chose pink as the color to encourage people to “wage peace.”

Over the years, Code Pink has served as a global network of individuals “committed to working for peace and social justice.” Some of the global incidents Code Pink has protested against in the past include the USA’s sanctions on Iran, Cuba, and Venezuela, the Guantanamo detention camp, drone strikes, weaponized spying, and prosecution of whistle-blowers.

Meanwhile, some of the causes they support include Palestinian rights, local peace economies, diplomacy, and Women Cross DMZ, among others.

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Exploring, in brief, the recent arrest of Code Pink protestors

On Wednesday, around 50 Code Pink members, in collaboration with the Peace in Ukraine Coalition, were protesting against the USA’s supply of help and resources to Ukraine in the wake of its Russian invasion. They occupied the chamber of Independent Senator Bernie Sanders from Vermont inside the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C., apart from 12 other congressional offices and chambers of Democrats.

However, police came and arrested eleven of them for crowding, obstructing, and incommoding, which, as per the D.C. government office code, is not allowed, reported The Washington Post. Among those handcuffed or escorted out were senior citizens as well as physically disabled people, according to The Hill.

In fact, as per D.C. police’s statement to the news outlet, it was a show of “peaceful planned acts of civil disobedience.” The source also cited that the protestors were advocating for U.S., Russian, and Ukrainian governments to attempt a negotiation to end the ongoing war.

A spokesperson named Crystal Zevon among the antiwar protestors even told the media house:

“Yes, Bernie should condemn the Russian invasion, but he should also be calling for a negotiated end to this brutal war.”

Meanwhile, Sanders told the protestors via a letter that he shared a “dedication to peace” and was hopeful that a “peaceful resolution” would be reached as soon as possible.

For the uninitiated, Russia waged a war against its neighboring nation Ukraine in February 2022 and over the span of the last one and half years, the USA has provided $46 billion worth of military, humanitarian, and financial assistance to Ukraine.