The clip spread like wildfire and conservative commentators were quick to chime in.

“AOC pretended to be in handcuffs when she was escorted away from the Supreme Court,” the official account for the conservative paper Washington Free Beacon tweeted.

AOC pretended to be in handcuffs when she was escorted away from the Supreme Court pic.twitter.com/QnUP4ZQWxX

— Washington Free Beacon (@FreeBeacon) July 19, 2022

“Oh my gosh @AOC faking handcuffs,” wrote Republican commentator Matt Whitlock. “This is too much.”

“The Capitol Police must have put invisible handcuffs on @AOC!” tweeted political analyst Carmyn Kinsey. 

“You guys… @AOC is such a victim that she has to pretend that the big, mean policeman put her in handcuffs…She probably also thinks he wants to date her,” said conservative columnist Tim Young.

“.@AOC is such an expert at getting attention and narrative building that she PRETENDED to be handcuffed just so she could have this image on social media. There are no handcuffs on her lmfaoooo,” tweeted businessman Jason Howerton. 

“Note the handcuff pose, abandoned only to raise her fist in the air. The queen of gestures,” Fox News political analyst Brit Hume said.

The GAG asked AOC's office for a comment on what happened, but they didn't answer right away.

But she later talked about the "fake" handcuffs claim during a Q&A session on Instagram.

"Republicans' favorite thing to do is make conspiracy theories out of everything to keep you from talking about what's really important, which is that they are trying to take away your right to bodily autonomy," Ocasio-Cortez said to the camera in an Instagram Story. "If I was making that up, why would I first pump someone on purpose if I was lying? It's so ridiculous."

Capitol Police said that 35 people were arrested, and 17 of them were members of Congress.

Reps. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, Jackie Speier of California, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, Andy Levin of Michigan, Barbara Lee of California, Cori Bush of Missouri, Katherine Clark of Connecticut, Nydia Valezquez of New York, Jan Schakowsky of Illinois, Madeleine Dean of Pennsylvania, and Sarah Jacobs of California were all booked.

Grainy video of Omar also showed the “Squad” member walking several steps with her hands behind her back as if handcuffed. However, she too raised her right arm in a clenched-fist salute without any difficulty. 

Following their arrests, the lawmakers were taken to a grassy area between the Supreme Court and Capitol building. Once there, police asked the representatives to pose with their congressional IDs in lieu of a mugshot.

One Capitol Police officer was seen telling the members that water was on the way as they relaxed.

If anyone’s curious about the vibe there’s music in the background, a USCP officer just told those detained there’s water on the way, and members and LEOs seem to be chatting, though I can’t hear the conversation. pic.twitter.com/hMgRiE8MdM

— Jennifer Shutt (@JenniferShutt) July 19, 2022

Several politicians, including Maloney, Ocasio-Cortez, Bush, and Levin, took the chance to talk to the press.

Jennifer Shutt of the States Newsroom said that the first group of lawmakers and activists were let go at about 2:30 p.m. Dean said that they were charged with "crowding, obstructing, or inconveniencing" and would have to pay a $50 fine.

When The Post asked Capitol Police if handcuffs were used in the incident, they did not answer right away.

The GAG asked AOC's office and Capitol Police for a comment, but they did not respond right away.

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