I admire the hell out of this.
At least two dozen protesters on the grounds of the Texas Capitol on Monday evening were charged with misdemeanor trespassing, the culmination of a day-long sit-in.
The demonstration began around 10 a.m. Monday morning when about 50 protesters took over the lobby of the State Insurance Building to protest Senate Bill 4, a measure that would outlaw “sanctuary” jurisdictions in Texas that passed out of the Texas House last week.
Attorney George Lobb, with the Austin Lawyers Guild, told The Texas Tribune that protesters inside were charged with trespassing. According to Lobb, Travis County Magistrate Nicholas Chu apparently issued citations to those inside the insurance building. Lobb said he and five other attorneys tried to get inside the building to speak with their clients but were barred from entry by state troopers.
Lobb said some of those charged must appear for a court date, although it’s not immediately clear how many protesters that applies to.
One of those handcuffed with a zip tie included Jim Rigby, a pastor at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Austin. He was part of the original group of protestors that descended on the state building Monday morning. Upon his release, Rigby told the crowd, who greeted him with thunderous applause, that they were all in this together now. “We are family,” he told the crowd.
Austin City Council member Greg Casar, a staunch opponent of state-based immigration proposals, was also released and told protesters the fight on SB 4 was only beginning.
“We know [Gov. Greg Abbott] has set his stake into passing this unconstitutional and anti-immigrant law,” Casar said. “This community, we are gonna rise up. The day he signs the bill is only the real beginning of the fight on SB 4.”
Just read the whole thing, and this Observer story, and look at the videos as well. Find inspiration from what these people did yesterday, and find something to do to support and stand with them.