Democratic Florida Senate minority leader Lauren Book and former Florida gubernatorial candidate Nikki Fried were among a dozen pro-abortion protesters arrested at Tallahassee City Hall on Monday after allegedly violating a trespass warning from law enforcement.
Protesters descended upon Tallahassee’s City Hall on Monday to voice their displeasure over the passage of what has been dubbed the Heartbeat Protection Act, a bill which, if signed into law, would prohibit most abortions after six weeks of gestation, WPTV reported. (RELATED: DeSantis Says He Backs Florida Bill Banning Abortions After 15 Weeks)
Anticipating the bill’s passage, protest organizers had been working with city officials for more than a week, “however, due to the size of the crowd they were expecting and their desire for overnight camping, they were informed March 31 of the City’s inability to accommodate them,” a press release from the Tallahassee Police Department (TPD) stated.
When protesters arrived at the city hall, located across the street from the Florida Capitol Building, they were informed by law enforcement officials that they “were allowed to utilize the property during normal operating hours” and were warned multiple times throughout the day that anyone who refused to leave the grounds after sundown would be “subject to arrest,” the release continued.
Police just handcuffed & arrested protesters including @NikkiFried & @LeaderBookFL pic.twitter.com/NCdqHJxmcx
— Gary Fineout (@fineout) April 4, 2023
Most protesters heeded the warnings issued by law enforcement officers, but some 11 protesters – including Book and Fried – refused, and were subsequently arrested for trespassing, the release stated.
At the time of their arrest, Fried, chair of Florida’s Democratic Party, and Book were seated in a circle with other protesters singing “Lean on Me.”
Their arrests sparked outcries from Democratic officials in both local and federal governments, with Tallahassee City Commissioner Jacqueline “Jack” Porter taking to social media to voice her displeasure over the arrests. “Free speech and the right to peaceably assemble are fundamental American freedoms,” she tweeted.
“I cannot speak for the conscience of this Commission majority, but I certainly do not support arresting protesters for exercising their constitutional rights in opposing extreme anti-choice legislation,” she continued. (RELATED: Psaki Says White House Continues ‘To Encourage’ Peaceful Protesting Outside Justices’ Homes)
Democratic Florida Rep. Maxwell Frost called the arrests “disgusting” and called on the Tallahassee Police Department and Mayor John Dailey to release the protestors. “We need our Democratic municipal governments to stand with the people against the far-right DeSantis regime,” he tweeted.
The TPD responded to criticism by maintaining that they encourage citizens to exercise their First Amendment right of peaceful assembly so long as it is done in accordance with the law.
“TPD supports non-disruptive demonstrations and works diligently to protect and uphold the rights of citizens every day,” they stated in the press release.