Florida Democrat arrested after sit-in outside DeSantis’s office
A Florida state representative was arrested on Friday for holding a sit-in protest outside Gov. Ron DeSantis‘s (R-FL) office against the state’s newly drawn congressional map.
State Rep. Angie Nixon, a Democrat representing the district that includes Jacksonville, started the protest around noon and remained there for five hours, attempting to stay beyond the office’s closing, until she was arrested.
While protesting, Nixon said her protest was in opposition to the Sunshine State’s new congressional map and that she would remain there until the governor spoke with her.
“I would love for the governor to come holler at your girl,” Nixon said during her protest. “I was elected just like him. We need to have a conversation about why he continues to rig maps, why he continues to play political games, why he is not looking out for Floridians. We need to have that conversation.”
She added that she was urging DeSantis to call a special session to “unrig the maps.”
Nixon, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate, released a statement following her arrest, saying she was there fighting for constituents. Two other protesters were alongside her at the time of the arrest.
“I will not allow our rights and representation to be taken away in silence,” she said. “At a time when people need their leadership to step up and govern, Gov. DeSantis and the Republican-controlled legislature in Florida are playing politics with people’s lives. I was arrested today along with outraged constituents demanding action instead of doing the job taxpayers send them to Tallahassee for.”
She added that she is calling for the release of all the peaceful protesters arrested Friday and for Florida’s legislature to revisit the map.
DeSantis’s chief of staff Jason Weida commented on a video of Nixon protesting following the arrest.
DeSantis himself then commented on Weida’s post, saying Nixon’s arrest was deserved.
“Our office isn’t a platform for this performative nonsense,” he added.
One day earlier, Nixon was reprimanded by the Florida House Rules and Ethics Committee for loudly protesting the new congressional map on the state House floor. She engaged in a similar protest when the state House voted on a new congressional map in 2022.
The new congressional map has already been signed by DeSantis and would give Republicans a 24-4 advantage in the state congressional delegation.
A group of Florida Democratic voters and a voting rights group jointly filed a lawsuit challenging the new map hours after DeSantis signed off on it.
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