What is Code Pink?

On Tuesday, Code Pink protesters dressed as the KKK and disrupted the confirmation hearing of Senator Jeff Sessions, Trump's nominee for attorney general. One protester was escorted out of the room as he shouted, "You can't arrest me, I'm white. White people don't get arrested," according to video footage. 

What does Code Pink do?

Code Pink is a women-led grassroots activist organization. According to its website, the group works "to end U.S. wars and militarism, support peace and human rights initiatives, and redirect our tax dollars into healthcare, education, green jobs and other life-affirming programs." Since its 2002 launch to voice opposition to U.S. involvement in Iraq, the group has focused largely on the Middle East, U.S. military issues and U.S. politics.

Code Pink's past protest actions

Code Pink has made small waves in the past for numerous protest efforts: Their protesters once tried to "arrest" Henry Kissinger for war crimes, heckled a Ted Cruz campaign event (which turned into a 24-minute discussion between Cruz and Code Pink protesters) and staged a die-in at NRA headquarters. But dressing up as members of the KKK for Sessions' confirmation hearing on Tuesday has already completely eclipsed the group's headlines. 

Democrats, protesters, the NAACP and the ACLU have all been critical of Sessions' confirmation, citing his history of racist remarks and voter suppression. In 1985, Sessions attempted to prosecute three black civil rights activists for voter fraud. At the time, Sessions served as United States attorney in West Alabama. He lost the case.

In a statement, according to Alabama.com, NAACP President Cornell Wm. Brooks stood firmly in opposition to the confirmation of Sessions as attorney general: "Sen. Sessions has callously ignored the reality of voter suppression but zealously prosecuted innocent civil rights leaders on trumped up charges of voter fraud. As an opponent of the vote, he can't be trusted to be the chief law enforcement officer for voting rights."