Police: Protesters arrested for ignoring warnings to leave when Capitol building closed
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FLV) – Authorities said protesters were arrested at the Capitol after refusing to leave despite warnings once the building closed following the legislative session Wednesday night.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement said 14 protestors were arrested for misdemeanor trespass after refusing to leave the Capitol building once the building closed.
A department spokesperson told Florida’s Voice protesters started before 1 p.m. Wednesday.
After the building closed around 7 p.m., Capitol police gave the protestors at least three warnings before any arrests were made later that hour.
Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried defended the protesters for ignoring officer warnings.
“Another peaceful protest in Florida ends in arrests because Ron DeSantis has normalized overreacting and overpolicing dissent. Like a fascist state,” Fried said.
According to a press release from Dream Defenders, fourteen people were arrested after “occupying the office of Ron DeSantis.”
Members of the protest included people from the HOPE Community Center, Florida Immigrant Coalition, Equality Florida and Florida Rising.
Tallahassee Democrat Ana Goñi-Lessan tweeted images of the people standing in the building with the caption, “Florida Highway Patrol and Capitol Police have given protesters 30 minutes to leave @GovRonDeSantis office.”
The Dream Defenders planned the “sit-in” as part of a national protest called “Freedom to Learn.”
Police did not provide a list of names at the time the report was initially published.
Fried and Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book were among those arrested during an abortion protest last month.
The Democrat leaders were arrested after receiving a warning to leave City Hall before sunset, according to a press release from the Tallahassee Police Department.
