Carrboro mayor among 150 arrested protesting North Carolina legislature
June 04, 2013
Carrboro Mayor Mark Chilton was one of 151 people arrested at the North Carolina Legislative Building on Monday to protest what they said was an overreach by the Republican-controlled state government.
For weeks, protesters have been participating in civil disobedience as part of "Moral Mondays."
North Carolina NAACP president Rev. William Barber told the crowd that the agenda of conservative lawmakers was being driven by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and billionaire brothers David Koch and Charles Koch.
Demonstrators expressed anger about legislative actions on education, voter rights, women's rights, tax policies and immigration.
According to the News & Observer, over 300 have been arrested so far this year.
Police estimated that more than 1,000 attended Monday's protest, an increase of about five times over previous demonstrations.
"This ain’t Wisconsin," Barber said during the event. "This is the South, where justice was hammered out."
Republicans in North Carolina have veto-proof majorities in both houses and control of the governor's mansion for the first time in over 100 years.
Watch this video from WTVD, broadcast June 3, 2013.