‘Unruly’ pro-abortion protesters removed from Florida House gallery after throwing debris at lawmakers’Unruly’ pro-abortion protesters removed from Florida House gallery after throwing debris at lawmakers
Pro-abortion protesters gathered at the Florida State Capitol on Thursday were forced out of the House gallery after they interrupted proceedings and began throwing debris at lawmakers who were deliberating a measure that would ban abortions after six weeks.
The incident took place as the Florida House of Representatives debated and voted on amendments to Senate Bill 300, an abortion bill that successfully passed in the state Senate earlier this month.
“The Speaker just ordered the Sargent at Arms to clear the gallery after protestors started throwing things at lawmakers,” Spencer Roach, a Republican who represents the Sunshine State’s 79th House district, wrote in a tweet.
Roach’s tweet included footage of the protesters standing outside the chamber chanting, “No justice, no peace.”
FLORIDA GROUP ISSUES TRAVEL WARNING TO LGBTQ COMMUNITY OVER GOV. DESANTIS’ ‘EXTREMIST POLICIES’
“These abortion-on-demand activists will not intimidate or deter us from protecting the unborn,” Roach wrote in another tweet.
Speaking to Fox News Digital about the incident, Roach said protesters had become “unruly” in the gallery and were removed after being “reprimanded” for disturbances as the lawmakers debated the amendments.
“He gave a warning and said, ‘The next time it happens, I’m gonna clear the gallery,’ and it happened again. He ordered the sergeant of arms to clear the gallery,” Roach said. “Clearly, they were prepared for this moment and this was their plan all along. They started throwing debris and some papers down on the floor on lawmakers.”
Roach said the behavior from the pro-abortion protesters “does expose a vulnerability” in the fact that lawmakers could get injured if they are hit with heavier objects by those in the gallery in the future.
Another video shared by Brendon Leslie, the CEO of Florida’s Voice, showed a chaotic scene as rowdy protesters tossed “garbage” and other papers at lawmakers from the House gallery as they voted on amendments to the bill.
“Leftwing activists throw garbage at lawmakers while they’re voting on amendments to bills,” Leslie said of the footage, which was provided by Florida State University’s WFSU-TV and The Florida Channel.
Demonstrators were also filmed chanting “F— around, find out” after they were removed from the House gallery by Capitol security.
The bill making its way through the state legislature has faced strong criticism from Democrats and pro-abortion activists both locally and across the nation.
FLORIDA TOP DEMOCRAT, STATE SENATOR ARRESTED DURING ABORTION BILL PROTEST
Florida House Democrats were also photographed joining in on the protests outside the chamber, according to Mitch Perry, a reporter for the Florida Phoenix.
“Florida House Democrats join protest against 6 week abortion bill taking place right outside the House chamber (they’ve since returned back to the chamber),” Perry wrote in a tweet. “Republicans have rejected every amendment Dems have introduced this morning.”
Earlier this month, Democratic Party chair Nikki Fried and state Democratic Sen. Lauren Book were two of 11 people arrested by the Tallahassee Police Department after they refused to leave an area outside the Tallahassee City Hall that had been designated by officers as a spot to protest the measure peacefully.
City officials worked with protest organizers for over a week but determined that the protest could not be accommodated because of the expected size of the crowd and plans of camping overnight. When the group arrived at City Hall, officials allowed them to protest during normal operating hours but told them to leave at sundown or face arrest.
Most of the crowd departed after sunset, but 11 people refused to leave after numerous requests, the city’s press release noted. They were ultimately arrested for trespassing.
Although the state Senate passed the six-week abortion ban, the bill still needs approval from the House before it reaches the desk of Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The state currently allows abortions up to 15 weeks, but if this bill is approved, it moves the state more in line with other Republican-led states.
Fox News’ Greg Wehner and Aubrie Spady contributed to this article.
Pro-abortion protesters gathered at the Florida State Capitol on Thursday were forced out of the House gallery after they interrupted proceedings and began throwing debris at lawmakers who were deliberating a measure that would ban abortions after six weeks.
The incident took place as the Florida House of Representatives debated and voted on amendments to Senate Bill 300, an abortion bill that successfully passed in the state Senate earlier this month.
“The Speaker just ordered the Sargent at Arms to clear the gallery after protestors started throwing things at lawmakers,” Spencer Roach, a Republican who represents the Sunshine State’s 79th House district, wrote in a tweet.
Roach’s tweet included footage of the protesters standing outside the chamber chanting, “No justice, no peace.”
FLORIDA GROUP ISSUES TRAVEL WARNING TO LGBTQ COMMUNITY OVER GOV. DESANTIS’ ‘EXTREMIST POLICIES’
“These abortion-on-demand activists will not intimidate or deter us from protecting the unborn,” Roach wrote in another tweet.
Speaking to Fox News Digital about the incident, Roach said protesters had become “unruly” in the gallery and were removed after being “reprimanded” for disturbances as the lawmakers debated the amendments.
“He gave a warning and said, ‘The next time it happens, I’m gonna clear the gallery,’ and it happened again. He ordered the sergeant of arms to clear the gallery,” Roach said. “Clearly, they were prepared for this moment and this was their plan all along. They started throwing debris and some papers down on the floor on lawmakers.”
Roach said the behavior from the pro-abortion protesters “does expose a vulnerability” in the fact that lawmakers could get injured if they are hit with heavier objects by those in the gallery in the future.
Another video shared by Brendon Leslie, the CEO of Florida’s Voice, showed a chaotic scene as rowdy protesters tossed “garbage” and other papers at lawmakers from the House gallery as they voted on amendments to the bill.
“Leftwing activists throw garbage at lawmakers while they’re voting on amendments to bills,” Leslie said of the footage, which was provided by Florida State University’s WFSU-TV and The Florida Channel.
Demonstrators were also filmed chanting “F— around, find out” after they were removed from the House gallery by Capitol security.
The bill making its way through the state legislature has faced strong criticism from Democrats and pro-abortion activists both locally and across the nation.
FLORIDA TOP DEMOCRAT, STATE SENATOR ARRESTED DURING ABORTION BILL PROTEST
Florida House Democrats were also photographed joining in on the protests outside the chamber, according to Mitch Perry, a reporter for the Florida Phoenix.
“Florida House Democrats join protest against 6 week abortion bill taking place right outside the House chamber (they’ve since returned back to the chamber),” Perry wrote in a tweet. “Republicans have rejected every amendment Dems have introduced this morning.”
Earlier this month, Democratic Party chair Nikki Fried and state Democratic Sen. Lauren Book were two of 11 people arrested by the Tallahassee Police Department after they refused to leave an area outside the Tallahassee City Hall that had been designated by officers as a spot to protest the measure peacefully.
City officials worked with protest organizers for over a week but determined that the protest could not be accommodated because of the expected size of the crowd and plans of camping overnight. When the group arrived at City Hall, officials allowed them to protest during normal operating hours but told them to leave at sundown or face arrest.
Most of the crowd departed after sunset, but 11 people refused to leave after numerous requests, the city’s press release noted. They were ultimately arrested for trespassing.
Although the state Senate passed the six-week abortion ban, the bill still needs approval from the House before it reaches the desk of Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The state currently allows abortions up to 15 weeks, but if this bill is approved, it moves the state more in line with other Republican-led states.
Fox News’ Greg Wehner and Aubrie Spady contributed to this article.
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