TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Prominent Florida Democrats Nikki Fried and Lauren Book have been released from jail after their arrest on trespassing charges during a peaceful protest Monday night outside Tallahassee City Hall.
Fried, who chairs the Florida Democratic Party, and Book, the minority leader in the Florida Senate, spoke to WTXL after they were released from jail.
"I was proud to stand alongside the chair and women from across the state of Florida, working to fight to protect their right to choose," Book said.
Fried and Book were sitting in a circle with others outside City Hall, singing "Lean on Me," in opposition to the state's proposed six-week abortion ban when a police officer warned that they were trespassing and would be subject to arrest if they didn't leave.
They ignored the officer's warnings and were subsequently handcuffed and arrested.
BREAKING: Tallahassee Police Department just arrested dozens of peaceful pro-choice protestors at City Hall outside of the Florida Capitol.
— Florida Planned Parenthood Action (@PPactionFL) April 4, 2023
This includes Senator @LeaderBookFL and FDP Chair @NikkiFriedFL.
Abortion is health care. pic.twitter.com/4O78dozXbg
"This is just a part of the fight, a part of the battle," Book said.
Fried said she didn't wake up Monday planning to get arrested.
"But, you know what, sometimes there are things in this world worth fighting for, and the people of our state need to see what fight looks like," Fried said.
Fried is Florida's former agriculture commissioner who was a Democratic gubernatorial candidate in last year's election, losing to Charlie Crist in the primary.
The Tallahassee Police Department said in a news release that the city had been working with organizers of the protest for more than a week, but because of "the size of the crowd they were expecting and their desire for overnight camping, they were informed last Friday of the city's inability to accommodate them."
Police said the group was allowed to peacefully protest on the property during business hours, but after multiple warnings throughout the day, "protestors acknowledged they understood that anyone refusing to leave the premises at sundown would be subject to arrest."
According to the news release, "the majority of the crowd left the property, while 11 people refused to leave despite numerous requests."
The protest came on the same day that the Florida Senate approved a bill that would outlaw abortion after six weeks of pregnancy.
WATCH: Florida Senate passes 6-week abortion ban amid protest
"We all were sitting on the floor, holding hands, singing and standing up for what we believe in. … We weren't doing anything that was harmful," Fried said. "There was no violence. We weren't bothering anybody."
Fried acknowledged that the police were just doing their job and were "cordial" and "respectful" to all the women who were arrested.
"But, unfortunately, this is still the end result," Fried said.
When asked what she believed will happen if the bill becomes law, Book didn't hold back.
"This will become law, and women will die," she said.
Fried said 75% of women in Florida are opposed to the proposed legislation, which has the backing of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.
"If I'm going to get arrested for something, I'm glad it was this," Fried said.
