Several climate protesters stormed the field and had to be tackled by police Wednesday evening during the annual Congressional Baseball Game, according to videos posted on social media.
The annual event has been a tradition since the early 1900s and pits Democratic and Republican lawmakers against each other in a friendly — and indeed, competitive — baseball game that raises money for charitable organizations.
But videos posted on X, formerly Twitter, showed Capitol police tackle multiple protesters who entered the outfield.
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The group Climate Defiance took responsibility for rushing the field, writing on X: We have taken the field at the Congressional Baseball Game + play has FROZEN!"
The group blasted Congress for sending billions of dollars in public money to "subsidize deadly fossil fuels," but noted "the police are tackling us instead."
"This Chevron-sponsored game cannot continue," Climate Defiance said. "This is unconscionable."
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The group's protest shouldn't have come as a surprise to Capitol police — they said they would storm the field in advance. And at least one lawmaker expressed worry.
Rep. Roger Williams of Texas, who coached the Republicans in their victory last year, told Roll Call: “It’s on the stupid radar. I mean, why would an environmentalist not like a baseball game? Baseball is played on grass and dirt. What’s wrong with that?”