TALLAHASSEE, FL (WTXL) — Protesters with Occupy Tally are at the Leon County Courthouse to demonstrate against new abortion restrictions in Florida after the arrest of 11 protesters with Occupy Tally, including Nikki Fried and Senator Lauren Book, outside of City Hall.
That confrontation last week forcing them move to county property.
Leon County Commissioner Bill Proctor said he welcomes these protesters that he said are just practicing their first amendment right.
“Leon County won’t be making any arrests as long as I am commissioner,” Proctor said.
A change of venue with more leeway as pro-choice group plans to protest the state’s abortion bill overnight for several days.
The county now backing Occupy Tally, allowing them to camp out at the county court house.
Sarah Parker, a founding member of the group, said she’s glad.
“We know that we are peaceful protesters. I have been a peaceful protester for ten years,” Parker said. “I feel comfortable with Leon County government. We have been in communication. We have been over-communicating.”
The county’s invitation is a contrast to the City of Tallahassee’s response to the group.
Their permit was revoked once city officials caught wind of Occupy Tally’s intention to camp out as part of their demonstration. The removal of the permit led to the arrest of the 11 protesters.
“We don’t see what they are doing as illegal. We see what they are doing as pro-American,” Proctor said. “We see what they are doing as pro-patriotic. There is no illegality occurring.”
Leon County Commissioners now hosting protesters like Sherry Mills.
She has lived in Tallahassee her whole life and fought for abortion access before the Roe V. Wade ruling in 1973.
She said she has seen first-hand how harmful it is for people to make abortions illegal.
“When I was 17, it wasn’t legal. I sat with a friend who only didn’t die by the grace of God, as we hid all of the blood, all of the hemorrhaging because we were afraid to tell her parents,” Mills said. “Somebody had did it in a dirty motel room. Now, that will happen again.”
Protesters like her will be out in Tallahassee all week to fight against the Heartbeat Protection Act and for what they say is bodily autonomy and reproductive freedom.
