White House press secretary Jen Psaki criticized local law enforcement on Friday for arresting a Georgia House Democrat for interrupting a signing ceremony for an election integrity bill.
“I think anyone who saw that video would have been deeply concerned by the actions that were taken by law enforcement to arrest her when she simply, by the video provided, seemed to be knocking on the door to see if she could watch a bill being signed into law,” Psaki said during the White House press briefing.
On Thursday, Democrat Georgia State Rep. Park Cannon approached Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s (R) office door and beat on it repeatedly during the signing ceremony of the bill.
She was ordered by Georgia State troopers to stop but she refused, prompting law enforcement to arrest her.
Fellow protesters filmed her arrest and the video was shared widely on social media by critics of the bill.
Cannon was charged with obstruction of law enforcement and disrupting General Assembly sessions.
But Psaki sympathized with Cannon, saying the video prompted “great concern” and told reporters the president would release a statement condemning the new Georgia law later on Friday.
“The largest concern here, obviously beyond her being treated in the manner she was, which is of course of great concern, is the law that was put into place,” she said.