Standout moments from Democratic sit-in on the House floor.

An unprecedented sit-in by Democratic members of Congress on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives over gun control turned into an overnight social media sensation before Congress adjourned early Thursday morning.

Democrats pressed on for more than 24 hours before bringing their protest to an end that afternoon.

Just before noon on Wednesday, a small group of Democratic lawmakers sat down together on the House floor of the Capitol to demand votes on proposals to strengthen background checks so that suspected terrorists could not buy firearms. They delivered blistering indictments of their Republican counterparts for what they consider to be government inaction in the face of ongoing gun violence.

Here are some of the biggest moments, from the beginning of the protest to its end:

A bizarre clash with Paul Ryan in the dead of night

House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., called the House back into session overnight and briefly addressed the commotion before proceeding almost as if nothing unusual was happening before him.

“The chair appreciates that members will differ on matters of policy and will seek to express those differences,” Ryan said, as Democrats chanted, “No Bill, No Break!” in protest. That rallying cry had become the hashtag — #nobillnobreak — for the event on Twitter as Democrats said they would refuse to go on break until the House took up and voted on the gun control measure.


“But the chair would hope,” Ryan continued, “that the business of the House could be conducted in a fashion that respects positively on the dignity and the decorum of this institution to which we all belong.”

Democrats obliged the Speaker when he called for a major spending bill, which was approved, before adjourning the session again around 3:15 a.m. The Republicans swiftly left and were greeted by more taunts outside from protesters gathered outside the Capitol.

Democrats break rules to broadcast their actions online

Republicans turned off the House cameras midday Wednesday after calling a recess, but Democrats continued to broadcast their protest and speeches via social media.

All members of the House of Representatives vote on the rules governing the floor at the beginning of the Congress. Technically, no personal cameras or electronic devices are allowed on the floor.

Slideshow: Democrats stage gun-control House sit-in >>>

C-SPAN, which has no control over the House cameras, picked up the Periscope and Facebook live feeds of Democratic representatives to continue airing their impassioned speeches, in which they repeatedly accused the GOP of valuing the interests of the National Rifle Association over the safety of the American people.


Howard Mortman, the communications director for C-SPAN, said the TV network is a nonprofit dedicated to showing what’s going on in Congress, but they are not allowed to have their own camera in the chamber.

“Clearly when the sit-in is happening and they are broadcasting themselves on social media, we want to be able to stick with the story and show what’s happening on the floor, so we picked up the feeds,” he said in an interview with Yahoo News.

Mortman said C-SPAN has dipped into Periscope and Facebook in the past to supplement its coverage, but this is the first time the network used social media sources to sustain a long-term broadcast.

“This was a milestone moment for C-SPAN to show the House floor that way,” he said.


By Michael Walsh.
Culled from Yahoo News.