Defense

Dozens of veterans arrested at Capitol during protest against Iran war

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by Ellen Mitchell - 04/20/26 7:27 PM ET

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by Ellen Mitchell - 04/20/26 7:27 PM ET

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Dozens of veterans and military family members protesting the Iran war were arrested by U.S. Capitol Police on Monday after they occupied the Cannon House Office Building in Washington, D.C.

At least 62 people were arrested during the demonstration, which was organized by several veterans groups including About Face, the Center on Conscience and War (CCW), Veterans For Peace, Common Defense, the Fayetteville Resistance Coalition, Military Families Speak Out and 50501 Veterans.

The protesters stood in the middle of the Cannon rotunda holding red tulips — meant to honor Iranians killed by U.S. strikes — and unveiling banners that said “End the War on Iran.” They also conducted a flag-folding ceremony meant to symbolize the 13 U.S. troops who have died so far in the war, chanting anti-war slogans before they were zip-tied by police and led away, videos posted to social media show.

In a statement, CCW said the protesters were demanding House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) meet with them to accept the folded flag and pledge to not continue to fund the war, which began on Feb. 28.

U.S. Capitol Police didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment as to the exact number of those arrested.

Among those arrested was CCW Executive Director Mike Prysner, a veteran of the Iraq War, who called the conflict “already deeply unpopular” and “a crisis for the Trump administration.”

“The war I was sent to senselessly claimed the lives of thousands of Americans and a million Iraqis,” Prysner said in a statement ahead of his arrest. “Like the other veterans here with me today, I have spent the last two decades wishing I could turn back the hands of time and refuse to go. Service members have that chance right now.”

He also pressed that conscientious objection is service members’ legal right, “and we have professional counselors who will fight to ensure you are approved and kept from deployment.”

A two-week ceasefire between the U.S., Israel and Iran is due to expire on Wednesday, with President Trump rejecting an extension and calling for Iran to sign a deal with Washington that would block Tehran’s ability to have a nuclear weapon.

Trump also renewed threats to Iran should its officials not sign a deal, saying over the weekend that “the whole country is going to get blown up.”

High-stakes talks between the U.S. and Iran are tentatively set for Wednesday in Islamabad, but regime officials have not yet publicly committed to appearing.

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