Rev. William Barber II and eight other demonstrators were taken into custody Monday after staging a prayer protest inside the U.S. Capitol Rotunda against a Republican-backed budget proposal.

According to the Christian Post, the protest targeted what Barber and his allies call unjust cuts to welfare programs in the "One Big Beautiful Bill," a GOP-driven measure now moving through the Senate with support from the Trump administration.

The rally began outside the U.S. Supreme Court, where members of the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival gathered to pray and speak against the proposed federal budget.

Participants then moved inside the Capitol Rotunda, where they continued their demonstration through spoken prayer and symbolic presence, holding Bibles and chanting messages directed at lawmakers.

Capitol Police warned the group that organizing demonstrations inside the Rotunda is prohibited. Despite those warnings, the activists remained on site, prompting law enforcement action.

Protest Highlights Criticism of Federal Spending Priorities

Barber, a former NAACP leader and co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign, has been vocal in his opposition to the legislation. He was joined during the protest by disability rights advocate Suvya Carroll, who uses a wheelchair and participated while clutching a Bible.

The Monday arrests marked the second time Barber has been detained for actions related to activism against the budget measure. In late April, he was arrested along with fellow clergy, including preacher Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove and St. Francis Springs Prayer Center Director Steve Swayne.

In a statement released after the arrest, Barber and Wilson-Hartgrove defended their actions, stating they intended to deliver a moral message to lawmakers about the human impact of fiscal decisions.

Activists Condemn Social Spending Cuts in Bill

“We came to the Capitol Rotunda to pray for representatives who currently support this immoral budget to see the danger of a policy that kills and choose life,” the statement read.

They added, “That is the prayer we hope to embody with a growing and expanding moral movement in this nation until 'justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.’”

Barber, who stepped down from pastoral work at Greenleaf Christian Church in North Carolina in 2023, continues to be a leading voice in combating what he sees as systemic injustice, particularly concerning health care and poverty.

Opposition Mounts as Bill Advances in Congress

The budget measure in question, dubbed the "One Big Beautiful Bill," passed the House of Representatives and is now awaiting a vote in the Senate, both chambers narrowly controlled by Republicans. The bill is strongly backed by former President Donald Trump and GOP leadership.

House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana described the bill as a transformative package designed to stimulate the economy, defend the nation’s borders, and invest in energy and defense infrastructure. Johnson also argued it would reduce wasteful government spending and stabilize essential programs such as Medicaid.

Critics, including Barber, dispute those claims, pointing out that the estimated $1.5 trillion in proposed cuts would negatively impact social programs like Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP, Head Start, and federal housing assistance.

Budget Projections Add Fuel to Fiscal Debate

This week, the Congressional Budget Office offered its projection of the bill’s financial consequences, estimating a reduction of $3.75 trillion in taxes over the next decade but an increase in federal deficits by $2.4 trillion over the same period.

In response, the White House challenged the CBO’s analysis, arguing the estimates falsely assumed that the 2017 Trump tax cuts would expire. White House officials said the bill does not create new tax cuts but simply maintains the current rates.

“In reality, extending the CURRENT tax rates — which this legislation does — has zero impact on the deficit,” said a statement from the Biden administration, disputing the claim that the measure would amplify fiscal shortfalls.

Debate Continues Amid Arrest Fallout

During the Rotunda protest, a Capitol Police officer informed the group that their action was an illegal demonstration. As the activists chose to remain, officers proceeded with arrests, including that of Barber and Carroll.

Barber emphasized the moral gravity of the protest, saying, “This budget does not establish justice. This budget does not provide for the common defense of all.”

He added that it fails to promote the welfare of society and denounced politicians who, in his view, enact policies that harm vulnerable populations, including women, children, and the poor.