Tallahassee Police arrest Florida Democratic Party leaders for disorderly conduct at pro-abortion rally

The chairwoman of the Florida Democratic Party and the minority leader in the state Senate were arrested Monday in Tallahassee. Nikkie Fried and Lauren Book were participating in a pro-abortion rally in front of the state Capitol when police made the decision to arrest them along with dozens of other protesters.

According to a statement from the Tallahassee Police Department, the arrest occurred when those involved refused to leave the premises, despite repeated warnings from officers on the scene. "After sunset, most of the crowd left the property, while eleven people refused to leave despite numerous requests. They were subsequently arrested for trespassing after being warned," the Police statement said.

Protesters were rallying in Florida's capital to protest after a new abortion bill backed by Governor DeSantis was signed into law. The new legislation, known as the Heartbeat Protection Act, prohibits performing an abortion after six weeks of pregnancy in the state of Florida.

Images posted on social media show a group of protesters sitting on the ground, holding hands and singing the song “Lean on Me.” Police arrived to the scene, surround the protesters and proceeded to arrest them. In some photos, the leaders of the Democratic Party are seen being escorted by authorities and taken to a police car.