‘Mom Just Been Arrested. Baby Handed to Another Person.’
Police in North Carolina arrested 39 protestors at the state capitol in Raleigh Friday, following the arrests of 17 protestors Thursday evening. In total, at least 56 have been arrested in just two days. Citizens have been at the state house protesting Republican lawmakers who are stripping power from the governor-elect, solely because he’s a Democrat. Among those arrested Friday were a mother holding a baby, at least one veteran, one Santa, and several grandmothers.
North Carolina Public Radio’s WUNCÂ Capitol Bureau Chief reported the count, and tweeted a photo of the arrested Santa.
Republican lawmakers with no public notice late Wednesday called a special session to order to debate and vote on a slate of 28 bills, most designed to strip power from incoming Governor-elect Roy Cooper, a Democrat.
Some have called the Republican lawmakers moves, eerily similar to how they passed the anti-LGBT law HB2, a power grab, while others are calling it a coup.
Lawmakers in both chambers have – possibly illegally – closed the galleries, areas where citizens are allowed to sit and watch lawmakers debate, after protestors, lawmakers felt, were disruptive.
Not only have the galleries been closed to ordinary citizens, but to the media:
By early afternoon, a reported 18 protestors had already been arrested, surpassing Thursday’s number.
Among those arrested, a mother with a baby:
And another of Santa:
Outgoing GOP Governor Pat McCrory has signaled he will support any bills lawmakers send him by signing SB4, a bill that radically alters the courts and election system.
The bill “appears to guarantee that Republicans will lead” a newly-created state board, created from the state board of elections and the state ethics commission, “during crucial even-numbered election years for the foreseeable future,” as The Atlantic’s David A. Graham reports.
It also changes the election of Supreme Court justices, making the now partisan events, so uninformed voters can just vote straight down ticket without knowing what they’re getting.
“McCrory has not said whether he will sign another controversial bill, House Bill 17, which requires confirmation hearings for the new governor’s Cabinet officials and prevents him from appointing members of the UNC system schools boards of trustees,” the News & Observer reports. It was sent to him Friday late afternoon.