from Center on Conscience and War
At noon on Monday, April 20, our Executive Director Mike Prysner and CCW client Tyler Romero were arrested alongside over 60 veterans and military family members, some with loved ones deployed to the Middle East, in a civil disobedience action at the Cannon Rotunda on Capitol Hill demanding “No War on Iran”.
Prysner spent 4 years in the Army and served in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Romero spent 7 years in the Navy as a corpsman, and worked with CCW to file as a Conscientious Objector in 2025.
Held by a coalition of organizations (About Face, Veterans For Peace, Common Defense, Center on Conscience and War, Fayetteville Resistance Coalition, Military Families Speak Out and 50501 Veterans), veterans stood in formation, flanked by military family members, inside the Rotunda unveiling banners that said “End the War on Iran.” Standing at attention, veterans held red tulips honoring Iranians killed by US bombs, and conducted a flag-folding ceremony symbolizing the US troops killed, and who will continue to be killed if the war continues. A mother and a wife of a soldier deployed to Operation Epic Fury spoke.
The veterans and military families demanding Speaker Mike Johnson come meet them to accept the folded flag and pledge to not continue funding of the war. They were arrested while waiting for Johnson to meet their demands.
Prysner said in a statement before his arrest:
“The war I was sent to senselessly claimed the lives of thousands of Americans and a million Iraqis. Like the other veterans here with me today, I have spent the last 23 years wishing I could turn back the hands of time and refuse to go. Service members have that chance right now. Conscientious Objection is your legal right, and we have professional counselors who will fight to ensure you are approved and kept from deployment. I am getting arrested to raise awareness about that option, because now is the time. This war is already deeply unpopular, and it is already a crisis for the Trump Administration. More than 100 service members have already started to file as COs but if even more stand up, and some speak out, we have a real chance of deepening this crisis for Trump in a way that forces them to pull back from this war.”
Romero said in a statement before his arrest:
“As a veteran and CO applicant, I have decided to get arrested today because as someone who was a participant in a war machine that is responsible for untold suffering around the world, it is my duty to help put an end to it. I felt compelled to commit to this action through a deep sense of empowerment from the legacy of war resistors before me. My advice to troops still serving is this: This is the most important historical moment of our lifetime, and what you choose to do matters. I can tell you from experience that continuing to help the war machine will only cause you more pain. There has never been a better time to reject those orders, and join a fight that matters. Call the Center on Conscience and War.”
As of 12:30PM protesters are still being held in detention by DC Metro Police.
CCW has already prevented several troops from deploying to Operation Epic Fury by filing expedited CO claims, and are working with over 100 more ensuring they are not forced to violate their conscience in this immoral war.
The Center on Conscience and War urges all service members opposed to the Iran War to call our hotline (877) NO-2-WARS now to get free, professional counseling on their options. Many qualify for CO without realizing it, and we are here to help you understand your rights.
Dozens of veterans arrested at Capitol during protest against Iran war
“A group of people legally entered the Cannon House Office Building after they went through screening,” U.S. Capitol Police said in a statement to The Hill. “Demonstrations are not allowed inside Congressional Buildings, so when they started to protest and refused to stop, we began arresting them. Approximately 66 people were arrested for D.C. Code § 22–1307 – Crowding, Obstructing, or Incommoding – for illegally protesting inside the Cannon House Office Building.”
The protesters stood in the middle of the Cannon rotunda holding red tulips — meant to honor Iranians killed by U.S. strikes — and unveiling banners that said “End the War on Iran.” They also conducted a flag-folding ceremony meant to symbolize the 13 U.S. 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.”
“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.”
A two-week ceasefire between the U.S., Israel and Iran is due to expire on Wednesday, with President Trump rejecting an extension and calling for Iran to sign a deal with Washington that would block Tehran’s ability to have a nuclear weapon.
Trump also renewed threats to Iran should its officials not sign a deal, saying over the weekend that “the whole country is going to get blown up.”
High-stakes talks between the U.S. and Iran are tentatively set for Wednesday in Islamabad, but regime officials have not yet publicly committed to appearing.
Updated on April 21 at 10:22 a.m. EDT
