Warning: The above video may be graphic in nature. Viewer discretion is advised.Police fired tear gas to disperse anti-abortion and abortion rights demonstrators from outside the Arizona Capitol Friday night, forcing lawmakers to huddle briefly in a basement inside the building as they rushed to complete their 2022 session.Thousands of protesters had gathered earlier on the Capitol grounds in Phoenix, divided into groups both supporting and condemning the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade.SWAT team members with the Department of Public Safety fired tear gas from second floor of the old Capitol building to disperse protesters in the mall between the current House and Senate buildings. KPHO-TV reported the officers opened fire when several anti-abortion protesters started banging on glass doors of the Senate building.Authorities said there were no injuries or arrests.The incident sent Senate lawmakers into the basement for about 20 minutes, said Democratic Sen. Martin Quezada. Stinging tear gas wafted through the building afterward, forcing the Senate to move its proceedings to a hearing room instead of the Senate chamber.Republicans had enacted a 15-week abortion ban in March, and a pre-Roe law that bans all abortions remains on the books, forcing providers across the state to stop providing abortions earlier Friday. The Legislature adjourned at 12:26 a.m. Saturday. Correction: This story has been corrected to show that those protesting were abortion rights supporters, not anti-abortion demonstrators.
Warning: The above video may be graphic in nature. Viewer discretion is advised.
Police fired tear gas to disperse anti-abortion and abortion rights demonstrators from outside the Arizona Capitol Friday night, forcing lawmakers to huddle briefly in a basement inside the building as they rushed to complete their 2022 session.
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Thousands of protesters had gathered earlier on the Capitol grounds in Phoenix, divided into groups both supporting and condemning the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade.
SWAT team members with the Department of Public Safety fired tear gas from second floor of the old Capitol building to disperse protesters in the mall between the current House and Senate buildings. KPHO-TV reported the officers opened fire when several anti-abortion protesters started banging on glass doors of the Senate building.
Authorities said there were no injuries or arrests.
The incident sent Senate lawmakers into the basement for about 20 minutes, said Democratic Sen. Martin Quezada. Stinging tear gas wafted through the building afterward, forcing the Senate to move its proceedings to a hearing room instead of the Senate chamber.
Republicans had enacted a 15-week abortion ban in March, and a pre-Roe law that bans all abortions remains on the books, forcing providers across the state to stop providing abortions earlier Friday.
The Legislature adjourned at 12:26 a.m. Saturday.
Correction: This story has been corrected to show that those protesting were abortion rights supporters, not anti-abortion demonstrators.
