As extreme abortion restrictions are fast-tracked through the Florida Legislature, Floridians peacefully protest next to Capitol outside Tallahassee City Hall on a public walkway and get arrested.
On Monday evening, April 3, just hours after the Florida Senate passed SB 300, the Near Total Abortion Ban Bill, a group of reproductive freedom supporters gathered to sit and hold hands in a circle outside Tallahassee City Hall for a peaceful demonstration in support of abortion rights.
They were joined by Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried and Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book. Thirteen peaceful protestors including Fried and Book were arrested by Tallahassee city police.
“A large majority of Floridians believe all people – no matter what we look like or where we come from – deserve the rights, freedoms, and opportunities to control our bodies and our life’s path,” said Sarah Parker, President of Women’s Voices of SW Florida, before she was arrested. “That certainly includes the right and ability to have an abortion.”
Media Availability: To learn more about SB 300, this issue, the peaceful demonstration and arrests, and for media interviews with those present, contact Amy Weintraub at 304-541-9027 or amy@progressflorida.org
“With Gov. Ron DeSantis and his allies in the Florida Legislature making a near total abortion ban a top priority, the deck is stacked against us,” said Amy Weintraub, Progress Florida Reproductive Freedom Program Director. “Today, we stood up, spoke out, and some of us were arrested for exercising our right to peaceful protest. This won’t deter us from working to protect our hard-fought freedoms and stop anti-abortion politicians from turning back the clock on health care, equality, and the freedom to control our bodies,” said Weintraub.
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