BBC Online :
There have been chaotic scenes in the lower house of the US Congress as Democrats staged a sit-in to demand a vote on gun control legislation.
The protest comes in the wake of the recent shootings in Orlando, the deadliest in modern US history.
Republicans adjourned the House early on Thursday to try to quash the sit-in, switching off the TV cameras.
But about two dozen Democrats remained, streaming speeches live via phones despite breaking rules on broadcasting.
The transmissions via Periscope and Facebook Live were taken up by the C-Span network, which provides continual coverage of Congress. One Democrat congressman, Scott Peters, who provided a feed, said the sit-in was breaking rules anyway.
The Democrats’ protest follows the gun attack on 12 June, when a man claiming allegiance to the so-called Islamic State group, Omar Mateen, killed 49 people at the Pulse club in Orlando, Florida.
Compared to the pressing issue at hand, discussing technology may seem trivial. But the way in which the outside world got to witness the Democrats’ sit-in will surely be considered a defining point for live online streaming.
With cameras shut off, US public service broadcaster C-Span resorted to running pictures being broadcast on Periscope, the live-streaming app owned by Twitter. The pictures were being filmed not by some social media intern or techy onlooker, but by Democrat Scott Peters on his smartphone.
Other feeds sprang up via Facebook Live, while CNN even managed to Apple’s FaceTime to conduct a live interview with Democratic representative Steve Israel on the House floor (until he was politely asked to move into the corridor).
By Wednesday evening, some 168 House Democrats (out of 188) and 34 senators (out of 44) were on the floor of the House, some literally sitting on it.
As the protest reached its 10th hour, Speaker Paul Ryan tried to restore control with a recess.
He banged his gavel and tried to ignore the outbursts but amid Democrat shouts of “Shame! Shame!” he left the podium.
Democrats began singing “We shall overcome” and held up the names of gun attack victims.
The floor of the House became chaotic, with Republicans and Democrats shouting at each other.
Some Democratic representatives brought in sleeping bags, pillow and blankets, others doughnuts for colleagues.
After a brief adjournment, the House resumed business at 02:30, with the majority Republicans voting through a number of bills.
They then called an adjournment until after 4 July, reminding lawmakers that transmitting images and video broke House rules.
But Democrats shouted their new campaign slogan “No bill, no break!” and remained on the floor, streaming speeches live. Representative Eric Swalwell told the BBC that the lawmakers would stay through the night.
In an interview with CNN on Wednesday night, Ryan called the sit-in a “publicity stunt” and pointed out that the Senate already voted down similar proposed legislation on gun reform this week.
“This is nothing more than a publicity stunt,” Ryan said. “This isn’t trying to come up with a solution to a problem, this is trying to get attention.”
Rep. John Lewis, a Georgia Democrat and a civil rights leader, Rep. John Clyburn, the number three Democrat in the House, and dozens of other Democrats have joined the sit-in. Democrats made themselves comfortable and chanted “No Bill, No Break!” Some Democrats said they should not leave the House floor as they may not be allowed to return.
“We’re going to hold out for a vote,” said Rep. Jim Langevin of Rhode Island. “The thoughts and prayers mantra that we’ve been saying every time one of these tragedies happens is not enough anymore. Enough is enough.”
Ryan shut off the live feed of the floor, preventing people outside the Capitol from watching the sit-in. Members of the House cannot speak for an unlimited period of time without yielding the floor, unlike in the Senate, where filibusters are the product of unlimited debate. Because of this, Yarmuth said disrupting the House is the only way to force a vote on gun control legislation.
There have been chaotic scenes in the lower house of the US Congress as Democrats staged a sit-in to demand a vote on gun control legislation.
The protest comes in the wake of the recent shootings in Orlando, the deadliest in modern US history.
Republicans adjourned the House early on Thursday to try to quash the sit-in, switching off the TV cameras.
But about two dozen Democrats remained, streaming speeches live via phones despite breaking rules on broadcasting.
The transmissions via Periscope and Facebook Live were taken up by the C-Span network, which provides continual coverage of Congress. One Democrat congressman, Scott Peters, who provided a feed, said the sit-in was breaking rules anyway.
The Democrats’ protest follows the gun attack on 12 June, when a man claiming allegiance to the so-called Islamic State group, Omar Mateen, killed 49 people at the Pulse club in Orlando, Florida.
Compared to the pressing issue at hand, discussing technology may seem trivial. But the way in which the outside world got to witness the Democrats’ sit-in will surely be considered a defining point for live online streaming.
With cameras shut off, US public service broadcaster C-Span resorted to running pictures being broadcast on Periscope, the live-streaming app owned by Twitter. The pictures were being filmed not by some social media intern or techy onlooker, but by Democrat Scott Peters on his smartphone.
Other feeds sprang up via Facebook Live, while CNN even managed to Apple’s FaceTime to conduct a live interview with Democratic representative Steve Israel on the House floor (until he was politely asked to move into the corridor).
By Wednesday evening, some 168 House Democrats (out of 188) and 34 senators (out of 44) were on the floor of the House, some literally sitting on it.
As the protest reached its 10th hour, Speaker Paul Ryan tried to restore control with a recess.
He banged his gavel and tried to ignore the outbursts but amid Democrat shouts of “Shame! Shame!” he left the podium.
Democrats began singing “We shall overcome” and held up the names of gun attack victims.
The floor of the House became chaotic, with Republicans and Democrats shouting at each other.
Some Democratic representatives brought in sleeping bags, pillow and blankets, others doughnuts for colleagues.
After a brief adjournment, the House resumed business at 02:30, with the majority Republicans voting through a number of bills.
They then called an adjournment until after 4 July, reminding lawmakers that transmitting images and video broke House rules.
But Democrats shouted their new campaign slogan “No bill, no break!” and remained on the floor, streaming speeches live. Representative Eric Swalwell told the BBC that the lawmakers would stay through the night.
In an interview with CNN on Wednesday night, Ryan called the sit-in a “publicity stunt” and pointed out that the Senate already voted down similar proposed legislation on gun reform this week.
“This is nothing more than a publicity stunt,” Ryan said. “This isn’t trying to come up with a solution to a problem, this is trying to get attention.”
Rep. John Lewis, a Georgia Democrat and a civil rights leader, Rep. John Clyburn, the number three Democrat in the House, and dozens of other Democrats have joined the sit-in. Democrats made themselves comfortable and chanted “No Bill, No Break!” Some Democrats said they should not leave the House floor as they may not be allowed to return.
“We’re going to hold out for a vote,” said Rep. Jim Langevin of Rhode Island. “The thoughts and prayers mantra that we’ve been saying every time one of these tragedies happens is not enough anymore. Enough is enough.”
Ryan shut off the live feed of the floor, preventing people outside the Capitol from watching the sit-in. Members of the House cannot speak for an unlimited period of time without yielding the floor, unlike in the Senate, where filibusters are the product of unlimited debate. Because of this, Yarmuth said disrupting the House is the only way to force a vote on gun control legislation.
