Dozens of young climate activists were arrested today after staging a sit-in inside Chuck Schumer's Washington office to demand that the Senate's top Democrat surrender his leadership post and that his party abolish the filibuster.
Fifty-four protesters from the Sunrise Movement were taken into custody inside Schumer's personal office in the Hart Senate Office Building, charged with crowding, obstructing, and incommoding.
Chanting Hey hey, ho ho, Schumer has got to go, the demonstrators sat on the office floor behind signs that read The filibuster kills and Schumer: Step up or step aside.
Another 150 activists fanned out across the Capitol to deliver letters to every Democratic senator, pushing the party toward a new direction and warning that inaction could cost it the 2028 elections.
The revolt lands at a fragile moment for Schumer, who has led Senate Democrats for nearly a decade and now stands to become majority leader as the party prepares to take control of the Senate in January. Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland has refused to rule out challenging him, insisting the party should not hand its longtime leader a coronation, while a bloc of incoming senators presses for younger leadership and fresh ideas.
The Senate Democratic caucus holds its leadership vote in December, and Schumer remains the favorite despite the mounting insurgency from the party's activist base.