Police unleash tear the landmark abortion ruling Roe v. Wade, police in Phoenix, Arizona used tear gas to break up a large group of protesters outside of the state’s Senate building.

“Protesters threatened to break the glass door to the AZ Senate,” Republican Arizona State Senator Wendy Rogers wrote on Twitter as members were voting on a number of bills.

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Republican Arizona State Senator Kelly Townsend said that the situation became a “hostage situation” when lawmakers were told not to leave the building.

Later, the Republican Caucus of the State Senate called the protest a “insurrection” attempt.

“We are currently there being held hostage inside the Senate building due to members of the public trying to breach our security,” Townsend tweeted Friday night. “We smell tear gas and the children of one of the members are in the office sobbing with fear.”

“I expect a J24 committee to be created immediately,” she added, referencing the January 6 committee that is investigating the breach of the U.S. Capitol Building on January 6, 2021.

The state’s Attorney General, Mark Brnovich, said that “this wasn’t a peaceful or lawful protest.”

“An angry mob defaced the Arizona Peace Officers Memorial last night, after being dispersed from the State Capitol. This wasn’t a peaceful or lawful protest,” Brnovich said. “We must never tolerate these criminal attempts to tear down our institutions and intimidate our officials.”

According to the lawmakers, law enforcement officers then deployed tear gas to disperse the crowds and regain control of the building.

“Crowd was dispersed with tear gas.” Rogers added, noting the protests were still continuing and the situation remained “very dangerous.”

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