Dozens of US veterans and family members of military personnel have been arrested while staging a protest in the US Capitol building in Washington, D.C, in opposition to the war on Iran.
At least 62 people were arrested during the demonstration at the Cannon House Office Building, which was organized by several veterans groups including About Face, the Center on Conscience and War (CCW), Veterans For Peace, Common Defense, the Fayetteville Resistance Coalition, Military Families Speak Out and 50501 Veterans.
Military veterans protest Iran war https://t.co/jtiGxiTMjv
— Reuters (@Reuters) April 20, 2026
The protesters stood in the middle of the Cannon rotunda holding red tulips — meant to honor Iranians martyred by US strikes — and unveiling banners that said “End the War on Iran.”
They also conducted a flag-folding ceremony meant to symbolize the 13 US troops who have died so far in the war, chanting anti-war slogans before they were zip-tied by police and led away, videos posted to social media show.
In a statement, CCW said the protesters were demanding House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) meet with them to accept the folded flag and pledge to not continue to fund the war, which began on Feb. 28.
Among those arrested was CCW Executive Director Mike Prysner, a veteran of the Iraq War, who called the conflict “already deeply unpopular” and “a crisis for the Trump administration.”
“Service members… don’t make the same mistakes we did. Exercise your rights to get out now.” – CCW Executive Director @MikePrysner arrested alongside 60+ veterans protesting Iran War today pic.twitter.com/2oyOdXcEfA
— Center on Conscience & War (@CCW4COs) April 20, 2026
“The war I was sent to senselessly claimed the lives of thousands of Americans and a million Iraqis,” Prysner said in a statement ahead of his arrest.
“Like the other veterans here with me today, I have spent the last two decades wishing I could turn back the hands of time and refuse to go. Service members have that chance right now.”
He also pressed that conscientious objection is service members’ legal right, “and we have professional counselors who will fight to ensure you are approved and kept from deployment.”
The video below was posted by veteran Greg Stoker at the Cannon House Office Building.
Source: Agencies (edited by Al-Manar)