Democratic state Rep. Angie Nixon arrested after 5-Hour protest at Florida Capitol
By News Service of Florida
May 15, 2026 at 7:22 PM EDT
Rep. Angie Nixon, D-Jacksonville, was arrested Friday evening by Capitol Police after about five hours of staging a sit-in outside Gov. Ron DeSantis' office.
She began her protest around noon, hoping to speak with a DeSantis staff member to discuss affordability in Florida. Nixon said two protesters who were with her at the time were arrested. At the time of her arrest, five supporters and a group of media members were told to leave the Capitol.
"I'm here because we have continually failed to do the business of the people in this legislative body, in this governor's office," she told the News Service of Florida before her arrest. "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."
At the time of her arrest it was unclear what charges she would face or where should would be taken.
READ MORE: Florida court to consider whether new US House map violates state ban on partisan gerrymandering
Nixon is running for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate.
On Thursday Nixon was reprimanded by the House Rules and Ethics Committee for her loud protest on the House floor last month that disrupted the vote on new congressional district maps.
The incident wasn’t the first time Nixon caused a commotion on the House floor over redistricting. She led a protest in 2022 when the old districts were approved. The House briefly recessed but returned one hour later to approve the map.
"It doesn't have to be this way, and so that is why I'm here," Nixon said.
A request for comment from the governor's office was not immediately returned Friday afternoon.
In a statement late Friday, Nikki Fried, the chairwoman of the Florida Democratic Party, called the removal of Nixon and other peaceful protesters, along with members of the press, is a "clear violation of their First Amendment Rights."
“Arrests and intimidation from Governor DeSantis will not change the truth," she said. "The [redistricting] maps passed last week by Florida Republicans are illegal, discriminatory, and anti-democratic.”
“This special session was about forcing through maps designed to dilute the voting power of Black and brown Floridians, defy Florida’s Constitution, and rig elections for one party.”
“We’re deeply concerned by reports that journalists covering the protests were removed from the Capitol," she added. "Freedom of the press is a fundamental part of democracy and any threat or limitation to that freedom weakens our country, state, and communities.
"Only wannabe dictators arrest their political opponents in the shadows.”
WLRN News Staff contributed to this story.
She began her protest around noon, hoping to speak with a DeSantis staff member to discuss affordability in Florida. Nixon said two protesters who were with her at the time were arrested. At the time of her arrest, five supporters and a group of media members were told to leave the Capitol.
"I'm here because we have continually failed to do the business of the people in this legislative body, in this governor's office," she told the News Service of Florida before her arrest. "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."
At the time of her arrest it was unclear what charges she would face or where should would be taken.
READ MORE: Florida court to consider whether new US House map violates state ban on partisan gerrymandering
Nixon is running for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate.
On Thursday Nixon was reprimanded by the House Rules and Ethics Committee for her loud protest on the House floor last month that disrupted the vote on new congressional district maps.
The incident wasn’t the first time Nixon caused a commotion on the House floor over redistricting. She led a protest in 2022 when the old districts were approved. The House briefly recessed but returned one hour later to approve the map.
"It doesn't have to be this way, and so that is why I'm here," Nixon said.
A request for comment from the governor's office was not immediately returned Friday afternoon.
In a statement late Friday, Nikki Fried, the chairwoman of the Florida Democratic Party, called the removal of Nixon and other peaceful protesters, along with members of the press, is a "clear violation of their First Amendment Rights."
“Arrests and intimidation from Governor DeSantis will not change the truth," she said. "The [redistricting] maps passed last week by Florida Republicans are illegal, discriminatory, and anti-democratic.”
“This special session was about forcing through maps designed to dilute the voting power of Black and brown Floridians, defy Florida’s Constitution, and rig elections for one party.”
“We’re deeply concerned by reports that journalists covering the protests were removed from the Capitol," she added. "Freedom of the press is a fundamental part of democracy and any threat or limitation to that freedom weakens our country, state, and communities.
"Only wannabe dictators arrest their political opponents in the shadows.”
WLRN News Staff contributed to this story.