As the FBI’s brief investigation of the sexual misconduct and assault allegations against Judge Brett Kavanaugh was wrapping up, ending late Wednesday evening, thousands of activists across the country were just getting started.
Protests against Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court seemed to reach a boiling point Wednesday evening and into Thursday, as news surfaced that the Senate plans to hold a confirmation vote as early as Friday.
On Wednesday, demonstrators in nearly 170 cities across the country held rallies and vigils, organized by MoveOn. In Brooklyn, the largely female crowd spent several seconds yelling during the rally to ensure people could “hear our rage.”
100’s of vigils tonight to #StopKavanaugh! From Maine to Alaska and North Dakota to West Virginia. As a nation, we must #resist! 📸: @NARAL pic.twitter.com/Y5QKfT8Ijd
— MoveOn (@MoveOn) October 4, 2018
Hundreds of protesters also gathered in front of the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., where “#StopKavanaugh” was projected onto the building.
#StopKavanaugh projected onto Supreme Court pic.twitter.com/93RdtQl15S
— Evy Mages (@EvyMages) October 4, 2018
Demonstrators showed up in droves in states with swing vote senators, calling on Republican Sens. Susan Collins (ME), Lisa Murkowski (AK), and Jeff Flake (AZ), as well as red-state Democrat Joe Manchin (WV), to vote against Kavanaugh.
Approximately 90 people gathered in Morgantown on a few hours notice to urge @SenCapito & @Sen_JoeManchin to #StopKavanaugh and #BelieveSurvivors. So many people stepped up and spoke out with their own stories. It was powerful. We just hope our representatives can hear us.. pic.twitter.com/8MuK2dbRoc
— Appalachian Activist (@WVCitizensUnite) October 4, 2018
Vigil to #StopKavanaugh happening now in Portland, Maine. Over 200+ vigils are happening across the country tonight. #BelieveSurvivors pic.twitter.com/ZIxnaZnHmt
— UltraViolet (@UltraViolet) October 3, 2018
On Thursday, thousands of protesters participated in a nationwide walk-out — organized by the Women’s March, Planned Parenthood, Black Women’s Roundtable, and several other organizations — to signal their opposition to the Supreme Court nominee. In Washington, D.C., protesters gathered at the E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse, where Kavanaugh currently works, before marching to the Supreme Court. Numerous celebrities were reportedly in attendance, including Alicia Keys, Whoopi Goldberg, and Tracee Ellis Ross.
I’m at the DC Circuit court, where a huge group of protesters are currently rallying. They plan to march from here, the court on which Kavanaugh currently sits, up to the Supreme Court. pic.twitter.com/a9yaigS6Rm
— Addy Baird 👽 (@addysue) October 4, 2018
Taxi driver honks along to a “Whose courts? Our courts!” chants pic.twitter.com/RPnegVeg2Z
— Addy Baird 👽 (@addysue) October 4, 2018
Brett Kavanaugh is completely unfit to sit on the Supreme Court — & we’re making sure everyone hears it.
Join us NOW on the Hill at the #CancelKavanaugh march! #StopKanavaugh pic.twitter.com/zrrSke94Oj
— Planned Parenthood Advocates for DC, MD & NoVa (@PPADMV) October 4, 2018
Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans had initially planned to push Kavanaugh’s nomination through without an investigation, until Flake joined committee Democrats last week in calling for an investigation into claims that Kavanaugh attempted to rape Dr. Christine Blasey Ford while they were both in high school in the 1980s.
As ThinkProgress reported Thursday, the investigation largely served Republican interests, with the FBI completing only nine comprehensive interviews and no examination into whether Kavanaugh may have lied under oath about his drinking. Indeed, dozens of sources were not contacted when they offered to testify. Investigators also did not talk to Kavanaugh or Dr. Ford.
Protests will likely continue Thursday evening and into Friday morning, as senators prepare to cast their votes on the nomination.
This piece will be updated with news of more protests throughout the day Thursday.