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Protests erupt outside the Supreme Court and Capitol ahead of Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation
Protests erupt outside the Supreme Court and Capitol ahead of Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation
Rachel PremackOct 7, 2018, 00:59 IST
Alex Brandon/AP
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Brett Kavanaugh is expected to be confirmed to the Supreme Court on Saturday.
Ahead of the vote, protesters and activists flooded the areas outside the Supreme Court and the US Capitol to oppose his confirmation.
Kavanaugh's confirmation process has been marred by controversy following multiple allegations of sexual misconduct.
Judge Brett Kavanaugh is expected to be narrowly confirmed to the Supreme Court on Saturday.
Protesters and activists came out in droves ahead of the vote to voice their opposition to Kavanaugh's confirmation, which comes following multiple allegations of sexual misconduct and heated testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
After his first accuser, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, came forward with her accusations, polls showed that Americans' opinions of Kavanaugh plummeted, and according to numerous polls, Kavanaugh has lost the most support from women and Democrats.
Scroll down for photos of the tumultuous protests taking place ahead of his confirmation:
The protests began early Saturday, hours before the final vote is set to take place.
Demonstrators congregated outside the steps of the Supreme Court and the US Capitol building. Several held signs depicting Ford, who says a drunken Kavanaugh assaulted her when they were teenagers.
Kavanaugh's expected confirmation comes after sexual-assault survivors across the nation came out swinging against the judge's nomination in light of the allegations against him.
Ford testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Sept. 27 about the alleged assault. Lawmakers across the aisle, as well as those in the right-wing media sphere, said she was a compelling and credible witness.
"Thousands and thousands of people who have had their lives dramatically altered by sexual violence have reached out to share their experience and have thanked me for coming forward," Ford said during the testimony.
Kavanaugh vigorously defended himself against the allegations from Ford and two other women in testimony that many saw as emotional, angry, partisan, and combative.
Kavanaugh "categorically and unequivocally" denied the allegations and said he was being targeted as part of a conspiracy by the Democrats and the Clintons.
During Saturday's protests, several demonstrators rushed past the barriers surrounding the Supreme Court.
Many were arrested.
Protests erupt outside the Supreme Court and Capitol ahead of Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation
Several protesters wore shirts that said "I am a survivor and I vote."
Others wrote "We will win" and "Shame on you" on their hands.
Kavanaugh's appointment is one of the most controversial in history.
This is the first time since 2005 that a Supreme Court nominee has not had majority support among Americans, according to an NBC/Wall Street Journal poll.
