15 Famous People Who Were Arrested While Protesting And Fighting For What They Believe In
1.Busy Philipps
After last year's SCOTUS decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the actor was arrested while protesting outside the Supreme Court. In an Instagram post, she wrote, "The right to make decisions about our own bodies and lives — a right we’ve had for almost 50 years — was ripped away from us by this new Supreme Court... I can think of no better way to use my privilege and voice than to amplify the message that bodily autonomy IS a human right."
2.Shailene Woodley
In 2016, the actor was arrested while protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline at the Standing Rock reservation in North Dakota. She later told Marie Claire, "I was strip-searched. Like, get naked, turn over, spread your butt cheeks, bend over... When you’re in a jail cell and they shut that door, you realize no one can save you. If there’s a fire and they decide not to open the door, you’ll die. You are a caged animal."
3.Porsha Williams
After the killing of Breonna Taylor in 2020, Porsha was among 87 activists who were arrested while protesting outside a home owned by Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron. When she was released, she shared a pic of herself and Breonna's mother, Tamika, on Instagram. "I love you and, as always, praying for you Ms. Tamika Palmer," she wrote.
4.Amy Schumer
When Brett Kavanaugh was nominated for the Supreme Court in 2018, the comedian was one of 302 demonstrators arrested in a Senate building on Capitol Hill.
5.Emily Ratajkowski
Along with Amy, Emily was arrested for protesting Brett Kavanaugh's nomination. On Twitter, she wrote, "Men who hurt women can no longer be placed in positions of power."
6.George Clooney
In 2012, the actor was arrested outside the Sudanese Embassy in Washington while protesting violence against civilians. Before he was taken away by police, he called for humanitarian aid to be allowed into the Sudan and demanded an end to innocent people being killed.
7.Susan Sarandon
A passionate activist, the actor has been arrested numerous times over the years. The most recent occurrence was just two months ago, when she was arrested at the New York State Capitol in Albany while demanding a higher minimum wage for restaurant workers.
8.Cole Sprouse
He was arrested in Santa Monica while protesting racial injustice and police brutality in 2020. In an Instagram post, he wrote, "This is, and will be, a time about standing ground near others as a situation escalates, providing educated support, demonstrating, and doing the right thing. This is precisely the time to contemplate what it means to stand as an ally. I hope others in my position do as well."
9.Cynthia Nixon
In 2002, she was arrested at New York City Hall while demanding better funding for public schools. On Instagram, the former New York gubernatorial candidate wrote, "After rallies, protests, civil disobedience, and countless meetings with legislators that fall, winter, and spring, we stopped almost $400 million in budget cuts."
10.Rosario Dawson
In 2016, she was among 400 activists who were arrested in Washington, DC while protesting corruption in politics. "This is a tremendous issue, and I’m grateful that I could be here and be a part of it. I wanted for me, personally, to be in solidarity with the people who put themselves on the line," she told reporters.
11.Jane Fonda
The actor has been arrested many times due to her political activism. In 1970, she was arrested while on a speaking tour protesting the Vietnam War — she was accused of smuggling drugs, which turned out to be vitamins. She was also arrested five times in Washington, DC during Fire Drill Fridays (recurring climate change protests in 2019).
12.Lucy Lawless
During a 2012 protest, Lucy and five Greenpeace activists boarded an Arctic oil-drilling ship in New Zealand, climbed the 174-foot drilling tower, and prevented the ship from departing on an oil-drilling excursion. After she was arrested, Lucy said, "This chapter has ended, but the story of the battle to save the Arctic has just begun."
13.Danny Glover
In 2010, he was arrested during a labor union protest outside the headquarters of Sodexo. Activists alleged that the food service company treated workers unfairly.
14.Alyssa Milano
During a 2021 protest calling for an end to voter suppression, she was arrested in front of the White House. In an Instagram post, she wrote, "I was just arrested for demanding the Biden Administration and the Senate to use their mandate to protect voting rights. Stand with me and @peoplefor and tell the Senate and White House that voting rights shouldn’t depend on where you live. #DontMuteOurVote."
People for the American Way is a progressive advocacy group that fights against political injustice and voter suppression. Alyssa is a board member.
15.And finally, Woody Harrelson
In 1996, he was arrested for climbing the Golden Gate Bridge to protest the destruction of redwood forests. He said, "I shamelessly and proudly call myself a tree-hugger... When a tree gets to be 1,000 years old, when a tree gets to be 2,000 years old, like these ancient redwoods are, wouldn't you stop and think that maybe they're more sacred than money?"
