Pro-abortion protestors in Arizona attempted to breach the state's Senate building on Friday following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that legalized abortion nationwide, through the Dobbs v. Jackson case.
According to The Christian Post, numerous pro-abortion protests took place over the weekend following the high court's highly anticipated ruling, which now sends the issue of abortion back to the states.
On Friday, The Arizona state Senate published a statement noting that the demonstrations had turned violent as pro-choice activists attempted to breach the senate building.
"Violent pro-abortion protestors' attempts of an insurrection at the Arizona state Senate were thwarted Friday night, thanks to the swift action from local and state law enforcement," the statement reads. "While Arizona state Senate members were wrapping up passing important legislation for the session, extremist demonstrators made their way to the entrance of the Senate building and began forcibly trying to make entry by breaking windows and pushing down doors."
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Law Enforcement Prevents Insurrection of State Senate While Lawmakers Conduct the People's Work pic.twitter.com/jiWmAAYJJn
— AZSenateRepublicans (@AZSenateGOP) June 25, 2022
"Law enforcement monitoring this situation called for backup and were able to disperse the crowd with tear gas before the entry was made. As this terrifying situation unfolded, Senate President Karen Fann called a recess so that senators, staff and the public in attendance could evacuate to a secure location," the statement added.
"Once the premises were secured, those inside the building were able to return to the Senate chambers. Unfortunately, the system that circulates the air through the facility pulled some of the smoke or tear gas into the Senate chambers, making the air quality unhealthy for anyone to return."
"We are incredibly thankful for our local law enforcement who quickly intervened doing what could have been a destructive and dangerous situation for our members, staff and public inside the Senate," Fann, a Republican, said in a statement. "Violence is never the answer, and we will not camouflage what was a blatant attempt at an insurrection as a 'rally' or 'peaceful protest.'"
In a post on Twitter, Republican Arizona Senator Kelly Townsend reported that at the time of the incident, state members of the state Legislature were "currently there being held hostage inside the Senate building due to members of the public trying to breach our security."
We are currently there being held hostage inside the Senate building due to members of the public trying to breach our security. We smell teargas and the children of one of the members are in the office sobbing with fear. I expect a J24 committee to be created immediately.
— Senator Kelly Townsend 🇺🇸 (@AZKellyT) June 25, 2022
We "smell teargas, and the children of one of the members are in the office sobbing with fear," she added.
Townsend also sarcastically suggested that she expected "a J24 committee to be created immediately," a reference to the January 6 committee formed in response to the breach of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Photo courtesy: Gayatri Malhotra/Unsplash, this is a stock image.
Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributing writer for CrosswalkHeadlines and the host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast devoted to sound doctrine and biblical truth. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary.
