Washington DC - Climate activists took over the Congressional Baseball Game on Wednesday to protest continued US subsidies for the planet-destroying fossil fuel industry.

Eight people were arrested after taking the field during the second inning of the game, Climate Defiance shared on social media.

US Capitol Police confirmed the arrests and said the eight participants had been hit with federal charges.

The Congressional Baseball Game, an annual event since 1990, sees Democrats face off against Republicans at Nationals Park in Washington. This year's matchup included oil and gas giant Chevron among its sponsors.

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Videos of the protest action show activists wearing "End Fossil Fuels" shirts jumping onto the field. Security officers tackle them to the ground and drag them away.

"We were brutalized tonight – beaten and bruised as we took over the Congressional Baseball Game. Our bodies are bloodied but our spirits are unmoved. We will build a better world. We will rise again. We will prevail. Just you wait," Climate Defiance wrote on X.

"Make no mistake: It’s the Members of Congress who should be locked up," the youth-led group said.

Before the game, another group of protesters in the stands unfurled "Stop Arming Israel" and "Free Palestine" banners, demanding an end to US government support for Israel's military assault on Gaza.