The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit was lit Tuesday night in bright purple and a simple message: “Brett Kavanaugh is a sexual predator.” Kavanaugh currently sits on that appeals court.

The action, organized by the anti-sexism group UltraViolet, targeted the Supreme Court nominee as he prepares to testify Thursday about accusations that he sexually assaulted psychology professor Christine Blasey Ford back when they were teenagers. The projections’ other messages included, “Brett Kavanaugh lied every time he testified” and “Brett Kavanaugh must withdraw.”

Happening now: Projection on US Courthouse in DC – Kavanaugh is a sexual predator. #BelieveSurvivors #WithdrawKavanaugh pic.twitter.com/8ALRMuIMDY — UltraViolet (@UltraViolet) September 26, 2018

According to The Hill, the action had originally been planned as a projection on the Supreme Court building, but it was moved after the plans were leaked. Earlier this month, UltraViolet did project a message on the Supreme Court building that read, “Roe v. Wade is more popular than Brett Kavanaugh.”


UltraViolet advocates for the full equity of women, demanding accountability from society and lifting up the voices of women who are often silenced, including women of color, immigrants, and LGBTQ women. Past campaigns have targeted so-called crisis pregnancy centers, university rape culture, and states with big tourism industries but poor records on women’s economic equality.

Even before the sexual abuse allegations came forward, Kavanaugh’s trustworthiness was already in serious doubt. He had previously testified under oath that he’d had no role in a controversial judicial nomination during his time working for the Bush White House. Emails released as part of his nomination process show that he actually played quite an active role in that nomination. He likewise had testified on a separate occasion to having no access to a bunch of documents that had been hacked from Democratic senators during this time, but the emails show he not only received some of them, but forwarded them to others.

Since Ford first came forward, another woman, Deborah Ramirez, shared her account of Kavanaugh thrusting his penis in her face against her wishes in college. Michael Avenatti, the attorney best known for representing Stormy Daniels, also disclosed that he now represents a third woman with credible allegations against Kavanaugh.

Because there are no women among the Senate Republicans on the Judiciary Committee, they have recruited sex crimes prosecutor Rachel Mitchell — who Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell described as a “female assistant” — to question Kavanaugh and Ford. There is no current plan to allow Ramirez to testify. In fact, the Judiciary Committee announced Tuesday night that it will hold its confirmation vote on Friday. This follow reports that Senate Republicans were actually trying to rush a vote this past weekend because they knew Ramirez’s story was coming.