Florida State Representative Angie Nixon was arrested Friday evening by Capitol Police following a five-hour sit-in outside Governor Ron DeSantis’ office.
The Jacksonville Democrat began her protest around noon, seeking to speak with a member of the governor’s staff regarding affordability issues in the state. According to Nixon, two other protesters who joined her were also taken into custody. Just before the arrest occurred, Capitol Police ordered five remaining supporters and members of the media to leave the building.
Prior to being detained, Nixon detailed her motivations to the News Service of Florida, criticizing the legislative body and the administration for prioritizing political redistricting over the economic struggles of everyday Floridians.
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“I’m here because we have continually failed to do the business of the people in this legislative body, in this governor’s office,” Nixon said. “I’m here because they, instead of addressing the rising costs and the fact that people can no longer to afford to be alive, to stay in Florida … they instead want to rid maps in support of what Donald Trump wants.”
The specific charges against Nixon and the location where she was being processed were not immediately clear at the time of her arrest. Nixon is currently seeking the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate.
Following her arrest, Nixon released a formal statement defending her actions and calling for the immediate release of the other individuals detained during the demonstration.
“My commitment has always been to the people of my district and to the Constitution I swore to uphold, not to any political party or agenda,” Nixon said in the statement. “I will continue to honor that commitment by fighting against injustice, defending our democracy, and demanding action on the issues that matter most to the people we serve.”
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She continued, “I will not allow our rights and representation to be taken away in silence. 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. I am calling for the release of all the peaceful protesters arrested today and for this legislature to revisit the Constitution they claim to uphold so that we can have representative maps.”
Friday’s sit-in follows a formal reprimand issued against Nixon on Thursday by the House Rules and Ethics Committee. That disciplinary action stemmed from a loud protest she staged on the House floor last month, which disrupted a vote on the state’s new congressional district maps.
This is not the first time Nixon has used disruptive protest tactics on the House floor regarding the state’s redistricting process. In 2022, she led a similar demonstration when the previous district maps were up for approval, prompting a brief House recess before lawmakers returned an hour later to pass the measure.
“It doesn’t have to be this way, and so that is why I’m here,” Nixon said.
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