WATCH: Bernie Sanders Arrests Anti-Ukraine War Protesters In Capitol - 'He's Crushed All My Hopes'

On Wednesday, 50 anti-Ukraine war protesters organized by CODEPINK rallied in Sen. Bernie Sanders' (I-VT) Capitol Hill office calling for the former Democrat presidential candidate to take a stand against the continued funding of the war in Ukraine.

"Vermonters want peace. I'm from Vermont. I voted for Bernie every time from Congress on...I worked for him and his campaign. I believed in him and he has crushed all my hopes for some kind of sanity within this building," a protester said.

When asked about Bernie's recent comments on the matter, in which he wrote on X/Twitter, "I look forward to seeing Congress provide, in the very near future, financial support for Ukraine which is valiantly struggling against Russian aggression," the protester said, "I'm horrified. I watch the carnage going on over there. How can anyone say this is good? Cluster bombs. We are on the brink of nuclear war."

Another protester slammed Sanders as "out of touch" with the American people. "In Bernie Sanders' office, they seem to suggest that war is solidarity which is madness how they are coopting language of peace and liberation to lead us to World War Three. It is crazy. They are so out of touch not just with the American people but with the entire world and this guy is supposed to be the progressive hero."

"We need him to step aside and leave room for other people who are actually going to fight for us, who are going to fight for peace because he is obviously not courageous enough to fight for peace," the arrested demonstrator added.

Other protesters demanded that aid be cut off from Ukraine and instead be used to assist with healthcare and housing. "If he spoke out against the war, it would make a huge difference," the protester said. "He's lined up for using and abusing Ukrainians. And he has been supporting using and abusing Vermonters who live in the terrible noise zone of the F-35 near the airport."

“We need Bernie to provide leadership to put a stop to the US funding of the Ukraine war now. Use the money for healthcare, not warfare,” said Burlington resident James Marc Leas, per CODEPINK's press release. 

Green Party Candidate Cornel West also accompanied the CODEPINK demonstrators during their sit-in at Congress.

A wave of criticism circulated online with journalist Anya Parampil writing, "Outraged to see [Bernie Sanders] order the arrest of my friend, Leo Flores, for simply holding up a sign quoting *his own call* for peace negotiations re Ukraine."

Following the incident, the 11 protesters who were arrested were eventually released by Capitol Police.

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