Two Florida Democratic leaders – Democrat party chair Nikki Fried and Senator Lauren Book – were arrested Monday with a group of protesters outside city hall. The group was advocating for abortion access due to the proposed six-week ban on abortion that was passed in the Senate earlier in the day.
The arrests came after officers warned protesters that anyone who remained on city hall property after dark would be trespassing. WFSU reported that the protest had initially been planned for Kleman Plaza, then last week the city moved the group’s permit to City Hall before revoking their permit last Friday. In a statement the city says that decision was made after learning the group hoped to camp out overnight.
The TPD statement on the arrests is provided below:
The Tallahassee Police Department (TPD) is committed to enhancing the safety of everyone in Tallahassee. Today TPD assisted in ensuring a safe environment for demonstrators from across the state as they peacefully protested Senate Bill 300 in front of City Hall, located across from the Florida Capitol.
The City had been working with protest organizers for over a week; however, due to the size of the crowd they were expecting and their desire for overnight camping, they were informed last Friday of the City’s inability to accommodate them. Upon the group’s arrival to City Hall today, they were allowed to utilize the property during normal operating hours. After multiple warnings throughout the day, protestors acknowledged they understood that anyone refusing to leave the premises at sundown would be subject to arrest.
This evening, after sunset, the majority of the crowd left the property while 11 people refused to leave despite numerous requests. They were subsequently arrested for trespass after warning.
TPD encourages individuals exercising their First Amendment right of peaceful assembly to do so in accordance with the law. TPD supports non-disruptive demonstrations and works diligently to protect and uphold the rights of citizens every day.
It cracks me up that the democrats picked such a vulgar and garrulous old bag to be their standard bearer. It’s too funny…
The problem is not with who, why or where, the problem is Reese God’s, oops, Goad’s and the poloce overreach with with the arrest powers for peaceful protests….anti-abortionists this week, maybe your cause next week.
Doesn’t make much sense to protest abortion on COT property. Go to the state capital if they want to protest state abortion law. Not the brightest bulbs out there. Seems like they wanted a show ‘arrest’ stunt.
… what CharlieMac said… oh, and insert the mic drop emoji on it
Just how unintelligent do you have to be to protest not being able to get an abortion because of a law which does not change whether or not a woman can get an abortion? The law only requires her to make a decision on whether to terminate her child earlier after confirming she is pregnant. She has probably had years to make the decision on whether to use other available forms of preventing pregnancy.
“Somehow this has to be Trump’s fault… I just know it.”
Trump won the 2024 presidential election yesterday. Biden just can’t help himself weaponizing the system for his outrage over going after Hunter. Bye-Done.
Rona’s thank you note to Bragg was sent special delivery with 34 red roses.
Who protests on a state issue at the Crapital District’s City Hall? These types of protests are nearly always held in front of the old capitol. This smells of a complete setup. Is it possible the Crapital District’s Kommissars coordinated with the Demonrat party clowns to instigate this photo op arrest? Is it possible TPD was used as useful idiots for this stunt?
Why were they protesting at City Hall? Was the stoner expecting Mayor Dailey to exercise some of the control he doesn’t have over the legislature? The city clowns already passed a feckless resolution to support abortion on demand. I am starting to think Nikki might be drain bamaged.
P.S. She’d get more support if she took off that shirt…
@ Snackapoo… Arresting people who fail a drug test? Now that’s a new one. Heck, if we did that, half the country and most of Congress would be in jail… and their cell block leader would be Hunter.
Somehow this has to be Trump’s fault… I just know it.
“arresting people who don’t follow the law is an excellent precedence to set.”
Unless they are police that failed drug test…no arrest there, no firing even.
Man… these Marxicrats sure do love kill’n them some babies don’t they. If they can’t kill them before or at-birth… they’ll attempt to GP (Gender-Pretend) them as kids, steal their scholarships and awards as High School and College athlete GP’rs, tax them to death as adults, force them into homelessness, or unleash the China Bio-Weapon Flu on them in ALFs… ‘cause, you know; it’s all about the children.
Oh, and Snakapoo… arresting people who don’t follow the law is an excellent precedence to set.
An embarrassingly failed political stunt is all.
Given that this city is run by a mayor that prefers behind closed doors meetings with FPL, I’m not surprised they use police to remove peaceful protests happening in full public view.
Anyone thinking this was anything other than a desired “show arrest” set up and planned in advance by Nikki and Lauren’ “people” with certian high ranking COT “people” is truley not much of a thinker.
No way this is just one of those “random” things which just happen from time to time “on their own”.
No way.
“anyone who remained on city hall property after dark would be trespassing”
Regardless of who was peacefully protesting and why, the arrests are a horrible precedent. Now when friends and I go to a commission meeting and the mtg ends after dark, we could be arrested if we meet up outside to discuss matters. How far away from the bldg would we have to move before police cannot threaten us or arrest us?
The two Book-Ends reign of terror strikes again.
Fried’s recent abysmal showing in her gubernatorial endeavor and Book’s recent embarrassing inappropriate campaign flyer that tanked a Democratic Party candidate-incumbent’s re-election campaign.
They make Dumb and Dumber look like rocket scientists.
A thank you note from the chairman of the Republican Party of Florida is in the mail.
Why wasn’t this Protest done on the Steps of the Old Capital? The City Commission did a special Resolution in favor of Pro Abortion a while back so why would the City be against this Protest. From what I have seen, it was pretty peaceful and who cares if they wanted to camp out there. I am 100% Pro-Life but I am okay with Peaceful Protests. The City and TPD could have handled this a lot better.
Classy shirt Nikki.
(2019 Story) Since its inception in 2007, Lauren’s Kids has sought and received grant funding from the state, collecting more than $13 million in the last five years alone. The senator, a rising Broward Democrat whose father is powerhouse lobbyist Ron Book, receives a $144,250 salary as Lauren’s Kids CEO, according to the nonprofit’s 2016 tax return.” The 2021 gift from taxpayers via the Florida Senate was 1.2 Million and Book was paid $217,000″
It is just a little slimy.
What others who do not live here see is a shot of the capitol complex and assume this is a high-traffic area where a protest would even be noticed. If you live here, you know how low-impact of an area it is that they chose, and why city hall? What on earth does the democrat-packed city hall have to do with state legislation? Can we say publicity stunt?
It was a “Dog and Pony Show”.