If you don’t trust the media or many of the stories that come from it, then your instincts are right on the money. Rest assured, there are times when you are 100 percent being manipulated.

Take this following example of camera-ready activism, for instance.

Actress/activist Amy Schumer showed up at the Senate Office Building where she gave a speech denouncing Brett Kavanaugh and Republicans and participated in the protest. Schumer was then arrested and escorted out of the building by police.

Super brave, right? That’s at least what various media outlets, including the Huffington Post, would have you believe. Here they put together a small news bite that claims Schumer was arrested “FOR” protesting against the nomination of Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.

“A vote for Kavanaugh is a vote saying that women don’t matter," Amy Schumer said just hours before being detained by Capitol Police. pic.twitter.com/lMmuaYlZha — HuffPost (@HuffPost) October 4, 2018

Also, famed model and topless girl in Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” video, Emily Ratajkowski, was there as well corroborating the story by pointing out that she too was arrested during their brave moment of protest.

Today I was arrested protesting the Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh, a man who has been accused by multiple women of sexual assault. Men who hurt women can no longer be placed in positions of power. pic.twitter.com/nnwq1O4qk3 — Emily Ratajkowski (@emrata) October 4, 2018

The narrative they’re going for is that people were getting arrested for speaking out against Kavanaugh, which can lead to a whole host of accusations. Things like “Trump is arresting people for free speech,” or “society still doesn’t like women who speak out,” or “we still live in a culture that supports rapists,” etc, etc, etc.

Only, none of this is what actually happened. Yes, Schumer and Ratajkowski were led away by police, but that happened by request.

The Daily Caller’s Benny Johnson was also at the Senate Building filming the protest and happened to capture the arrest from multiple angles. Johnson was first on the ground filming when an officer happened by and asked if Schumer and Ratajkowski wanted to be arrested, both said yes. Johnson is also asked by the officer if he too would like to be arrested, and is told to leave before turning his attention back to the crowd. In his video, you can actually see a cameraman move in closer as Schumer turns around to place her hands behind her back in preparation for the officer’s restraints.

I can’t believe I have to do this @emrata but here’s video if you and @amyschumer verbally agreeing to be “arrested” pic.twitter.com/xlKSy1sZ4b — Benny (@bennyjohnson) October 4, 2018

Johnson then has the moment of the arrest on video as well. You can see that there are no arguments with the police. In fact, as Johnson notes, Ratajkowski seems to be having a good time. Soon, Schumer and Ratjkowski are escorted away by police as Schumer takes one more opportunity to get the crowds attention, presumably to be seen being led away by police.

Here is your actual “arrest” moment. See how you’re casually chatting with your friends who are wearing special pink wristbands which the police gave to you for special protected status? See how your photographer filmed you casually walking out of the Senate with a police escort? pic.twitter.com/FyHLV7Xqgv — Benny (@bennyjohnson) October 4, 2018

Whether or not Ratajkowski and Schumer were placed in restraints afterward is unknown at this time, but none of that happens in the video. Even if they were, it doesn’t matter. The “arrest” was all part of the plan. They wanted the visual of themselves being led away by police as protests against Kavanaugh were at its most heated.

The media was only too happy to run with the story that Schumer was arrested because it looks very good to the narrative that women are being silenced, especially in the face of such evil.

And so you have a fake story. Schumer and Ratajkowski were just two actors in a ginned up story. They weren’t brave, they were using optics to make it seem like they were.

If you really break it down, this is pretty disgusting. Not only did Schumer, Ratajkowski, and likely many members of the media knowingly lie about the nature of their arrest, but they used the horrid act of sexual assault to help lie about it. They piggy-backed off the worst day of many women’s lives in order to gain fame, and push a narrative.

In a sane world, Schumer and Ratajkowski would be denounced for such a media stunt, but in this day and age, when the media is desperate for any story that supports the idea that Republicans are evil, they’ll dive in head first.