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| Anti-LGBT law sparks protests in North Carolina, with dozens arrested Anti-LGBT law sparks protests in North Carolina, with dozens arrested | |
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| Demonstrations encircled North Carolina’s statehouse on Monday, for and against a Republican-backed law curtailing protections for LGBT people and limiting public bathroom access for transgender people, with dozens opposing the law arrested. | Demonstrations encircled North Carolina’s statehouse on Monday, for and against a Republican-backed law curtailing protections for LGBT people and limiting public bathroom access for transgender people, with dozens opposing the law arrested. |
| Three dozen were arrested after protesters failed to leave the legislative building after it closed for the night. That brings to 54 the number of opponents of the law who were arrested or carried away on the general assembly’s opening day of its annual work session. | Three dozen were arrested after protesters failed to leave the legislative building after it closed for the night. That brings to 54 the number of opponents of the law who were arrested or carried away on the general assembly’s opening day of its annual work session. |
| On the other side of the debate, thousands of Christian conservatives and other supporters of the law known as House Bill 2 gathered on a grassy mall behind the legislative building on the opening day of the legislature to praise the mostly Republican legislators and GOP governor Pat McCrory for passing the restrictions during a special session last month. | On the other side of the debate, thousands of Christian conservatives and other supporters of the law known as House Bill 2 gathered on a grassy mall behind the legislative building on the opening day of the legislature to praise the mostly Republican legislators and GOP governor Pat McCrory for passing the restrictions during a special session last month. |
| “It took great courage for them to establish this bill,” said Doug Woods, 82, of Raleigh, a rally attendee. “They need to stand firm.” | “It took great courage for them to establish this bill,” said Doug Woods, 82, of Raleigh, a rally attendee. “They need to stand firm.” |
| The law blocks local and state protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and directs which restrooms transgender people can use in public buildings. Key lawmakers who pushed through the legislation also urged the rally attendees to contact colleagues and urge them to fight off efforts to overturn the law. | The law blocks local and state protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and directs which restrooms transgender people can use in public buildings. Key lawmakers who pushed through the legislation also urged the rally attendees to contact colleagues and urge them to fight off efforts to overturn the law. |
| “The battle is about to be engaged,” said representative Paul Stam, , a veteran of North Carolina’s cultural wars, told the crowd. | “The battle is about to be engaged,” said representative Paul Stam, , a veteran of North Carolina’s cultural wars, told the crowd. |
| Later Monday afternoon and evening, hundreds of protesters took turns sitting outside the offices of house speaker Tim Moore and Senate leader Phil Berger to demand repeal of the law. | Later Monday afternoon and evening, hundreds of protesters took turns sitting outside the offices of house speaker Tim Moore and Senate leader Phil Berger to demand repeal of the law. |
| Police arrested 18 people at Moore’s office, leading them away in plastic handcuffs. All but one were to be charged with second-degree trespassing, acting general assembly police chief Martin Brock said. One man who had to be carried out by officers was to face a resisting arrest charge, according to Brock. | Police arrested 18 people at Moore’s office, leading them away in plastic handcuffs. All but one were to be charged with second-degree trespassing, acting general assembly police chief Martin Brock said. One man who had to be carried out by officers was to face a resisting arrest charge, according to Brock. |
| North Carolina legislators returned Monday night for their annual work session. As the short house meeting ended, demonstrators in the gallery yelled their displeasure. Several dozen protesters continued a vocal protest inside the front doors of the legislative building. | North Carolina legislators returned Monday night for their annual work session. As the short house meeting ended, demonstrators in the gallery yelled their displeasure. Several dozen protesters continued a vocal protest inside the front doors of the legislative building. |
| “We won’t do HB 2,” the protesters chanted, referring to the law by its initials. “North Carolina sticks together.” | “We won’t do HB 2,” the protesters chanted, referring to the law by its initials. “North Carolina sticks together.” |
| Earlier Monday, about 200 people gathered on the grounds of the old Capitol building to hear speakers denounce the law. They carried cardboard boxes holding what they said were 180,000 pro-repeal signatures on a petition for delivery to McCrory, whose office sits within the Capitol building. By mid-afternoon their numbers had swelled to between 600 and 800. | Earlier Monday, about 200 people gathered on the grounds of the old Capitol building to hear speakers denounce the law. They carried cardboard boxes holding what they said were 180,000 pro-repeal signatures on a petition for delivery to McCrory, whose office sits within the Capitol building. By mid-afternoon their numbers had swelled to between 600 and 800. |
| “HB2 compounds the discrimination and marginalization of the transgender community, who already have to fight every day for their survival,” said Joaquin Carcano, a transgender man who’s suing over the law. “Our privacy and safety matter too. Our right to feel safe and protected in this world does not infringe on anyone else’s right to the same.” | “HB2 compounds the discrimination and marginalization of the transgender community, who already have to fight every day for their survival,” said Joaquin Carcano, a transgender man who’s suing over the law. “Our privacy and safety matter too. Our right to feel safe and protected in this world does not infringe on anyone else’s right to the same.” |
| The head of the state NAACP, thereverend William Barber, called the law “Hate Bill 2”. He said it affects the poor and minorities as well as the LGBT community, despite conservative efforts to depict it as a law focused on bathroom safety. | The head of the state NAACP, thereverend William Barber, called the law “Hate Bill 2”. He said it affects the poor and minorities as well as the LGBT community, despite conservative efforts to depict it as a law focused on bathroom safety. |
| “We make a mistake when we call it the ‘bathroom bill’,” he said. | “We make a mistake when we call it the ‘bathroom bill’,” he said. |
| Republican legislative leaders have expressed no interest in overturning the new law. GOP lawmakers have focused their discussion of the law on provisions requiring transgender people to use multi-stall restrooms that align with their gender at birth. | Republican legislative leaders have expressed no interest in overturning the new law. GOP lawmakers have focused their discussion of the law on provisions requiring transgender people to use multi-stall restrooms that align with their gender at birth. |
| Democratic representative Grier Martin of Raleigh, a sponsor of the repeal bill, said the new law has stained North Carolina’s reputation and harmed it economically. Some companies have halted planned expansions because of the law, while many groups have canceled their scheduled conventions in the state. | Democratic representative Grier Martin of Raleigh, a sponsor of the repeal bill, said the new law has stained North Carolina’s reputation and harmed it economically. Some companies have halted planned expansions because of the law, while many groups have canceled their scheduled conventions in the state. |
| If the repeal were approved immediately, Martin told reporters, “it would not undo with the swipe of a pen the incredible damage that House Bill 2 has done to our economy. But it would stop the bleeding and put North Carolina back on the path of progress and moving forward.” | If the repeal were approved immediately, Martin told reporters, “it would not undo with the swipe of a pen the incredible damage that House Bill 2 has done to our economy. But it would stop the bleeding and put North Carolina back on the path of progress and moving forward.” |
| While pro-HB 2 forces held their rally, about 20 people opposing the law held a sit-in outside McCrory’s office in the old Capitol to protest, joining arms and singing songs including We Shall Not Be Moved. No arrests were made. | While pro-HB 2 forces held their rally, about 20 people opposing the law held a sit-in outside McCrory’s office in the old Capitol to protest, joining arms and singing songs including We Shall Not Be Moved. No arrests were made. |