The Independent reports:
Just before a Tennessee lawmakers’ special session was set to begin on Monday in order to address public safety in the wake of March’s Nashville school shooting, members of the Proud Boys interrupted a prayer vigil at the state capitol. While some members of the community and gun control supporters carried signs that read “lax laws lack sense,” “it’s the guns” and “love your neighbor regulate guns,” another group showed up: The Proud Boys.
The extremist group arrived wearing masks and black shirts, and unfurled a yellow banner near the state house that said “Smashville” while they held up the offensive OK hand gesture. According to the Tennessean, one vocal Covenant mother of a five-year-old who survived the attack, Sarah Shoop Neumann, and members of the far right extremist group started arguing after one of the Proud Boys told her to “thank God for the Covenant (shooting).”
Read the full article.
Democratic Tennessee Rep. Gloria Johnson has posted a video showing two Proud Boys stalking her in a hallway of the Tennessee Capitol while state troopers observed and did nothing.
While our supporters of clergy marched and prayed over our Capitol to end gun violence, the @tnhousegop and their extremist supporters, the proud boys, threaten our democracy with their terrorism. This is what we are fighting against every single day and why we will never quit! pic.twitter.com/jyMU5XaH9E
— Justin J. Pearson (@Justinjpearson) August 21, 2023
The p-boys were back again today. I’m pretty sure we can go ahead and call this stalking now.
They kept following me to the restroom, weird, huh. The troopers were pretty fed up. Grieving parents can’t have notebook paper signs, but are these guys armed? pic.twitter.com/p40eh53LcT— Rep. Gloria Johnson (@VoteGloriaJ) August 23, 2023
Tennessee House subcommittee members had state troopers physically remove gun safety activists who quietly held signs from a hearing.
We bow down to this woman who – visibly shaking – said: “You will have to drag me out.”
Moms will win. pic.twitter.com/aJSKdwiVUk
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) August 22, 2023
BREAKING: Drama in Tennessee House subcommittee as protesters are removed by state troopers. Their violation: quietly holding up signs. pic.twitter.com/uESCjA0Pyj
— Phil Williams (@NC5PhilWilliams) August 22, 2023
Families close to a Nashville fatal school shooting broke down in tears after a Tennessee Republican leader ordered state troopers to remove them and others from a legislative hearing room while they waited to testify in favor of gun control measures. https://t.co/ru3b5UdMS9
— The Associated Press (@AP) August 22, 2023
🚨🔍Urgent Breaking Update: A dramatic scene played out today within a Tennessee House subcommittee, as state troopers were called in to remove protesters who were quietly holding up signs. The incident, which occurred against the backdrop of a subcommittee session, has sparked a… pic.twitter.com/vSjm6t2658
— Brian Allen (@allenanalysis) August 23, 2023