AOC on Capitol harassment: ‘This is not a place that is designed to protect women’

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York expressed her frustration about the lack of protection for women members, after a far-right provocateur sexually harassed her on the steps of the Capitol.

Ms Ocasio-Cortez spoke to reporters on Thursday after Alex Stein, a far-right wing provocateur, filmed himself making sexually lewd remarks while she was walking up the steps of the Capitol.

“So I want you all to know that because this is not a place that is designed to protect women. It's not a place ... designed to protect LGBT people,” she told a gaggle of reporters on the day after the incident.

The New York self-described democratic socialist noted Mr Stein works for a publication called The Blaze that is credentialed to report at the US Capitol. Ms Ocasio-Cortez said at the same time, many journalists were put at risk during the January 6 riot at the US Capitol last year.

“On January 6, there were reporters that had to seek refuge in members’ offices. And ever since that day, I truly believe that the core security breakdowns have never been addressed,” she said.

Ms Ocasio-Cortez said that her office had to call five times to get Mr Stein’s information.

“They and many of these people were sassing our office back asking us why we want this information. This is not about us having this information,” she said. “This is about mitigating threat. And you know we have to keep ourselves safe here because certain people will be safe, but not all of us are safe.”

The congresswoman also told reporters to make sure there is a safety protocol in place.

“And it's not just about me,” she said. “It's about every person. I said this yesterday, I'm concerned about the food staff. I'm concerned about the the custodial staff, I'm concerned about the real fundamental lack of procedures that have still not been addressed.”