Welcome to Arrest Stories. A Florida state representative ended up in handcuffs after refusing to leave the governor's office following a five-hour sit-in at the state Capitol. Heres what may have happened.
On Friday, May fifteenth, twenty twenty-six, in Tallahassee, Florida, Democratic State Representative Angie Nixon of Jacksonville staged a sit-in outside Governor Ron DeSantis' office suite at the Florida Capitol. Nixon, who is also running for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate, began the protest around noon, demanding a meeting with DeSantis over the state's newly signed congressional redistricting map.
Nixon wore a bright pink jacket, black shirt, and jeans, and sat cross-legged on the lobby floor in front of an oversized American flag and the Florida state seal. Her shirt read People Over Politics.
Speaking directly to the camera during the sit-in, Nixon said, "I'm here because I want to be the voice for everyday, hardworking Floridians who are basically being deprived of a functional government." She called the new map gerrymandered and unconstitutional, and demanded DeSantis call a special session to redraw the districts. "We're demanding that the governor come back and call for a special session to redraw maps and do them in the right way," she said.
Nixon also addressed broader concerns, stating, "We could be cutting gas tax right now, and provide some type of relief for hardworking Floridians, but instead they're up here rigging maps to rig an election."
The new congressional map, signed by DeSantis, creates four new GOP-leaning U.S. House districts and would give Republicans a twenty-four to four advantage in the state congressional delegation. A group of Florida Democratic voters and a voting rights group filed a lawsuit challenging the map shortly after DeSantis signed it.
After approximately five hours, Capitol Police warned Nixon and others to leave as the building closed for the evening. Nixon refused. "I'll wait on the governor," she told reporters. Nixon was then arrested along with two other protesters for trespassing. Members of the press were escorted out just before police made their move.
The day prior, on Thursday, May fourteenth, Nixon had received a formal reprimand from the Florida House Rules and Ethics Committee for using a bullhorn to protest the final redistricting vote on the House floor.
DeSantis' chief of staff Jason Weida commented after the arrest, writing, "Reprimanded and now arrested." DeSantis himself responded, "Deservedly so. Our office isn't a platform for this performative nonsense."
Following her release, Nixon issued a statement saying, "I will not allow our rights and representation to be taken away in silence." She also stated she was arrested alongside outraged constituents and called for the release of all peaceful protesters arrested that day. Nixon faces a June court date.
All suspects presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Do not take this report as factual, always verify facts. Thanks for watching Arrest Stories.