Democratic Georgia state Rep. Park Cannon was arrested Thursday by the State Capitol Police during a protest against the passing of a controversial election overhaul bill.
A video posted on Twitter shows Cannon actively resisting two law enforcement officers escorting her out of the Georgia Capitol building. Democratic Rep. Erica Thomas and other anti-election reform bill activists can be seen loudly protesting the situation.
Georgia: Capitol Police detain Democratic Rep. Park Cannon during Governor Kemp’s signing of a bill overhauling voting rights.@CBS46 pic.twitter.com/SnUiZL9CgD
— shon gables cbs46 (@shongables) March 25, 2021
Cannon reportedly knocked on Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s door, as he was signing the 95-page long S.B. 202 bill passed by Georgia Senate Thursday into law, NPR reported. The Democratic representative’s actions interrupted Kemp’s prepared remarks, so the officers had to drag her out, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC).
“Why are you arresting her?” This Facebook Live video from @TWareStevens shows the moment authorities detained state Rep. Park Cannon as @GovKemp was behind those doors signing elections restrictions into law. #gapol pic.twitter.com/U1xMJ6tZrY
— Greg Bluestein (@bluestein) March 25, 2021
“It is unbelievable that there are still some people trying to stop people from voting today. You are changing the rules, cutting the voting hours, and making it more difficult for people to vote,” Thomas said, according to the report. “Too many people fought, bled and died for our right to vote.” (RELATED: Schumer Accused Georgia Republicans Of Eliminating Sunday Voting. There’s More To The Story)
The new bill touches on almost every single facet of the electoral process in the state, including institution of a photo I.D. requirement for absentee voting and shortening of the early voting period, the AJC reported.
“What I’m worried about is how un-American this whole initiative is. It’s sick,” President Joe Biden commented Thursday on the legislation, according to the New York Times.