It was supposed to be just another political hearing.
But when Ben Cohen—co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s and longtime activist—stood up and stormed toward Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during a Senate session, the entire room erupted in disbelief. And minutes later, Cohen was in handcuffs.
“Free speech doesn’t mean you get to lie about science!” he shouted, pointing directly at RFK Jr., who sat at the witness table during a heated discussion on vaccine policy and misinformation.
Cohen, 73, was immediately surrounded by Capitol Police after interrupting RFK Jr.’s testimony before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts. Footage of the confrontation shows Cohen shouting over the panel before being physically restrained and escorted out.
The incident, captured by multiple camera angles and now going viral across X and TikTok, is being called one of the most dramatic civilian disruptions in recent congressional history.
According to NBC News, Cohen was arrested on charges of “disruption of official proceedings” and “unlawful entry,” though he had a valid visitor badge. He was released hours later.
“I had to say something,” Cohen told reporters outside Capitol Hill, his voice still shaking. “RFK Jr. is spreading dangerous lies, and Congress is giving him a microphone.”
The moment came during a contentious session where Kennedy was asked about his past statements linking vaccines to autism and promoting conspiracy theories about public health. Cohen, seated in the gallery with other spectators, had reportedly been fidgeting and whispering to colleagues before suddenly standing up and shouting mid-testimony.
“What you’re doing is killing people!” he screamed, as shown in C-SPAN’s broadcast replay.
RFK Jr. remained seated during the confrontation but later addressed the incident, saying, “I support free speech—even when it’s pointed at me,” in a comment shared by Axios.
But Cohen’s message has now gone far beyond the chamber walls.
Clips of the arrest have flooded timelines under the hashtag #BenVsRFK, with thousands praising Cohen’s boldness.
“Ben Cohen is a real patriot,” wrote one user on Reddit’s r/politics. “He stood up when too many people stay quiet.”
Even celebrities chimed in. Mark Ruffalo tweeted: “Ben spoke truth. The real disinformation is pretending RFK’s ideas are harmless.”
The moment has reignited fierce debate over the role of activism in politics—and who gets to speak in spaces of power.
The Washington Post reported that Cohen had been lobbying quietly for weeks to be included in the public dialogue around vaccine policy. Denied a formal seat at the table, he chose direct action.
This isn’t Cohen’s first brush with protest arrests.
He was previously detained in 2016 outside the Capitol during a Democracy Spring rally and has long been an outspoken voice for criminal justice reform, environmental protections, and anti-corporate causes.
“I’ve been in jail for less,” he joked outside the precinct in a video posted by NowThis. “This one was worth every second.”
Despite the arrest, Cohen says he’ll continue pushing for legislation that limits the platforming of disinformation in federally sanctioned spaces.
“I’m not afraid of jail,” he said. “I’m afraid of what happens if we stay quiet while liars rewrite science.”
As the footage continues to spread—and RFK Jr. doubles down on his controversial platform—one thing is clear:
Ben Cohen may no longer be scooping ice cream, but he’s still stirring things up.
