Ben Cohen, who is one of the co-founders of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream company, was taken into custody on Capitol Hill on Wednesday afternoon during a Senate hearing that was focused on the Health and Human Services (HHS) Department and led by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

United States Capitol Police (USCP) confirmed Tuesday afternoon that Cohen was among seven people arrested after they disrupted the hearing.

While Cohen was arrested for obstruction charges, other participants in the protest faced more severe allegations such as resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer, according to the Capitol Police.

However, it is unclear how many people were charged with the more severe violations.

“RFK kills people with hate!” a protester yelled during the hearing as Kennedy delivered his opening statement. 

“RFK kills people with hate!” the chant continued, with more voices joining in. “RFK kills people with hate!“

As the situation escalated, several individuals were removed from the premises, leading Senator Bill Cassidy, the head of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), to momentarily halt the proceedings.

In video of the disruption posted on X by The Daily Caller, Cohen can be seen being forcibly pulled out of the hearing room by a Capitol Police officer.

“Members of the audience are reminded disruptions will not be permitted while the committee conducts its business. Capitol Police are asked to remove the individuals from the hearing room,” Cassidy said as Cohen was being wrangled out of the room.

“That was a made-for-C-SPAN moment,” Cassidy quipped after things settled down.

Wednesday wasn’t the first time Cohen has been arrested while protesting in the nation’s capital. In 2023, he was arrested outside the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for blocking the entrance to the Department of Justice (DOJ) building in Washington, DC, where he was protesting the detainment of Julian Assange.

Ben & Jerry’s is frequently a target of Republicans, who have slammed the company and its founders over their support of progressive activism and politicians. They are also frequent critics of Trump.

Ben & Jerry’s has been known for its left-leaning advocacy since its founding in 1978, and the Vermont-based ice cream maker was able to maintain an independent board of directors to continue its progressive activism even after it sold to Unilever in 2000.

One of those moments included a decision by Ben & Jerry’s in 2021 that ended the sale of its products to Israelis in the West Bank, which the company refers to as “Occupied Palestinian Territory.”