Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) on Thursday blasted the arrest of a Georgia state lawmaker as “wild and completely unacceptable.”
Georgia Rep. Park Cannon (D) was arrested on Thursday for knocking on Gov. Brian Kemp’s (R) door as he signed a controversial bill into law tightening the state’s rules on ballot drop boxes and requiring photo ID for absentee voting.
“Arresting a sitting member of a legislative body, while in session for knocking on the door of the Governor is wild and completely unacceptable,” Omar tweeted. “Are there laws against knocking on the Governor’s door in Georgia, what is she actually being arrested for?”
Cannon was charged with obstruction of law enforcement and “preventing or disrupting General Assembly sessions or other meetings of members” for knocking on Kemp’s door, which was marked with a “Governor’s Staff Only” sign.
Police said that Cannon was repeatedly instructed to stop knocking on the door and was told that she would be arrested if she did.
Cannon was released from Fulton County Jail later on Thursday evening, but video and photos of her arrest circulating on social media has garnered pushback. Georgia’s Sens. Raphael Warnock (D) and Jon Ossoff (D) have both supported her.
Omar’s fellow “squad” member Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) called Cannon’s arrest “disgusting.”
“This is disgusting. Everyone who remains silent about it is condoning it,” Tlaib tweeted.
Cannon on Friday thanked everyone who supported her on Twitter.
“We will not live in fear and we will not be controlled. We have a right to our future and a right to our freedom. We will come together and continue fighting white supremacy in all its forms,” she said in part.