Nine Arrested In Roe V. Wade Protests At Arizona Capitol: Police

PHOENIX, AZ — A protest in reaction to the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade brought around 7,000 people to the Arizona State Capitol on Friday, ending after protestors attempted to force their way into the Arizona Senate building and were sprayed with tear gas, according to police.

The gathering began as a peaceful protest, but evolved into what police described as anarchy perpetrated by splinter groups, according to a news release from the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

Protestors tried to break into the Arizona Senate building after they realized that the legislature was still in session, police said.

"The violence of their efforts literally shook the building and terrified citizens and law makers who occupied the building," the department said. "As the glass doors bowed from attempts of forced entry, the occupants of the building were instructed to move to secure locations."

The protestors only dispersed after Arizona State Troopers used tear gas, police said. In total, nine people were arrested during protests over the weekend, 12 News reported.

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

Protestors broke windows of three buildings in the Arizona state Capitol Complex and damaged the glass door to the Arizona Senate building as they attempted to breach it, Arizona Senate Republicans said in a news release.

Troopers also used tear gas to help clear Wesley Bolin Plaza after some protestors there defaced war memorials, police said.

The protestors wrote messages in spray paint on the memorials, directing profanity at the Supreme Court and Ducey and saying things like, "abort the court."

The protestors did an estimated $10,000 in damages to the memorials, according to the Arizona Senate Republicans.

The following were damaged during the protests, according to the Department of Public Safety:

• Wesley Bolin Memorial Amphitheatre
• 158th Regimental Memorial
• Arizona Peace Officers Memorial
• Korean War Memorial
• Arizona Law Enforcement Canine Memorial
• Operation Enduring Freedom Memorial
• Lt. Frank Luke Jr. Memorial