Ben & Jerry Get Arrested At Capitol Hill Protests Against Big Money in Politics

Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, more popularly known as Ben and Jerry, the guys behind the ice cream, were among hundreds of protesters arrested at the Democracy Spring rallies at the United States Capitol Building on Monday. The protests began early this month with a 140-mile march from Philadelphia to D.C. and continued with a week-long sit-in to demand congressional action on voting rights and campaign finance. Cohen and Greenfield were among some 1,300 peaceful protesters who were arrested. Actress Rosario Dawson, who in recent months has been a vocal supporter of Bernie Sanders, was also among those arrested.

An entire page on the Ben & Jerry's site was devoted to the co-founders’ arrest. Titled “Why Ben and Jerry Just Got Arrested,” it includes photos of the two amid a crowd of protesters and statements from the duo about the importance of the rallies. “The history of our country is that nothing happens until people start putting their bodies on the line and risk getting arrested,” Cohen says.

The page, which encourages others to get involved in “the fight for justice,” explains that “if you care about something, you have to be willing to risk it all—your reputation, your values, your business—for the greater good.” The page concludes with the suggestion that “sometimes, when something really matters, you have to put your body on the line. You have to take a stand."

Dawson, who was arrested last Friday, spoke on camera about why she felt it was important to take part in the protests. “I wanted, for me personally, to be in solidarity with the other folks who put themselves on the line,” said the actress. “And also just to bring attention to this."

For more on Democracy Spring, and how to get involved, visit the effort online.