These statements by President Biden and Senator Gillibrand followed days of intense activism by EQUAL MEANS EQUAL and other pro-ERA groups.
Here is our press release from our action on January 10th where six of our members were arrested and are still facing serious charges.
Washington, D.C. – On January 10, 2025, advocates for constitutional gender equality created a dramatic protest outside the National Archives, culminating in the detention of 37 individuals and the arrest of six protesters, including DC based activist Adam Eidinger his adult daughter, Arundhati Eidinger, Mia Bronner, Dave Anderson, Jamie Morris and Nevis Gatti, known as The ERA-6. The event marked the culmination of months of activism urging President Joe Biden to publish the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) as the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution before leaving office.
The ERA-6 were held in custody overnight in a badly roach infested steel cell in DC’s central cell block and released on the evening of January 11-fittingly, Alice Paul’s birthday. They now face charges of unlawful entry and 2nd-degree theft, despite no banners being removed from the property, no attempt to enter the National Archives building, and the original banner being reinstalled within minutes of the action.
The protest unfolded as the National Archives prepared to open its doors Friday morning.
Dressed in construction worker safety gear they replaced the building’s center banner with one calling out President Biden directly: “Publish ERA. Hero or Zero.” This banner, along with two others, were confiscated by police.
The event also featured a science fiction DUNE-themed performance spearheaded by actress and activist Kamala Lopez of EQUAL MEANS EQUAL, in partnership with Virginia-Based VoteEquality. 28 women dressed in the striking Sisterhood costumes of the Bene Gesserit represented the 28th Amendment. In addition to their costumes, the women held banners emblazoned with provocative questions: “EQUALITY DENIED?”, “PATRIARCHY DEFENDED?” and “FUTURES DISPOSED?” These messages underscored the demonstrators’ central theme: the ongoing denial of constitutional gender equality in the United States.
Protesters’ Demand:
-Instruct the Archivist to publish the ERA as the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution immediately. or fire the archivist.
Statement on Disorderly Conduct at the National Archives Building on January 10, 2025
Friday, January 10, 2025, Washington, DC-During an organized protest outside of the National Archives building in Washington, DC, on January 10, 2025, several people were arrested by the Washington, DC, Metropolitan Police Department after removing a National Archives exhibit banner and attempting to replace it with an unauthorized banner. The incident is being investigated. Archivist of the United States, Dr. Colleen Shogan, released the following statement:
“We take this incident very seriously and will work with law enforcement agencies to ensure the perpetrators are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“As Archivist of the United States, I want to make it clear that the National Archives is here to preserve, protect, and share the nation’s historical records for all Americans. We respect the right to free speech, but criminal conduct undermines our core purpose of serving as an open space for public engagement with history. The National Archives is a place of learning and reflection for Americans, not a venue for acts of vandalism.”
Advocates’ Voices
Kamala Lopez, President of EQUAL MEANS EQUAL, reiterated the group’s urgency:
“The time for delay is over. We’re here to demand that President Biden publish the ERA immediately. He has the power and the duty to do so; there are only six days left for him to act. Equality can wait no longer.”
Kati Hornung, Executive Director of VoteEquality, also emphasized:
“Adding basic human rights, which would update our Constitution to match all other industrialized nations, is the bare minimum of respect American citizens deserve from their government.”
