A Georgia state senator is responding after she was jailed following a protest at the state Capitol.
Sen. Nikema Williams was among more than a dozen arrested during a demonstration a the state house Nov. 13, during which protesters demanded every vote be counted in several tight Georgia races. Authorities arrested 15 other people who participated in the protest in the rotunda.
The arrests came after a massive group entered the Georgia State Capitol building to protest what they believed were votes not being counted in major state elections. According to a video provided to 11Alive News, at least one sign in the crowd read "Stacey Abrams IS GOVERNOR" and another "COUNT EVERY VOTE" as protesters chanted "No justice, no peace."
Police took Williams and the other arrestees to the Fulton County Jail, where she later bonded out.
11Alive's cameras were there when she was walked out of jail and was greeted by a small crowd of supporters.
"I joined them down on the floor and I was singled out as a black female senator, standing in the rotunda with constituents in the Capitol, in the body that I serve in, and I was singled out and arrested today for standing with so many Georgians who are demanding every vote be counted," she said.
When asked whether police knew she was a state senator when she was arrested, Williams quipped, "I wear my name tag every day in the Capitol."
The protest at the state Capitol came as federal judges throughout Georgia ruled on several election-related lawsuits, including several filed in relation to the Georgia governor race. The results of that election has yet to be officially decided, though Republican Brian Kemp has already declared himself the winner. Democrat Stacey Abrams, however, has yet to concede as she vows to make sure every vote cast in the election be counted.
In a statement, Abrams' camp voiced support for Williams, calling for the charges against the senator to be dropped.
