How Rep. Nicole Collier’s Capitol protest sparked solidarity among these Texas women

August 20, 2025

Texas State Representative Nicole Collier spent the night locked in the Capitol as a protest against the Texas House's order for 24/7 DPS trooper monitoring of Democrats who had recently broken quorum to protest Republican redistricting efforts. Collier refused to sign a "permission slip" that would have authorized her constant surveillance, unlike dozens of other Democratic lawmakers who complied with the unprecedented requirement. Her protest sparked significant public support, with demonstrators gathering at the Capitol in solidarity, some of whom were arrested.

Who is affected

Texas State Representative Nicole Collier
Texas Democrats who broke quorum and returned to the Capitol
Black and Latino Texas residents whose representation would be reduced by the proposed redistricting maps
Four women protesters who were arrested (Angel Carroll, Megan Chopra, Jessica Cohen, and Jill Van Voorhis)
Representative Mihaela Plesa and other Democrats who signed the permission slips and were subjected to constant surveillance
Representative Sheryl Cole who had a confrontation with her assigned DPS officer

What action is being taken

Representative Collier is staging an overnight protest on the House floor, refusing to sign the surveillance authorization
DPS officers are providing 24/7 surveillance of Democratic lawmakers who signed the permission slips
Collier has filed a habeas corpus petition in Travis County arguing her restraint is illegal
Demonstrators are gathering at the Capitol to support Collier, chanting "Let her go!"
Some Democratic lawmakers and supporters are bringing provisions to Collier during her protest
Democratic senators and representatives are publicly criticizing the Republicans' actions on social media and in statements

Why it matters

The situation represents an unprecedented level of surveillance and restriction on elected officials in Texas. The redistricting maps at the center of the dispute would significantly reduce representation for minority communities, with the article citing that Latino residents would have one-third the political power of white residents, and Black residents would have one-fifth. The enforcement measures against Democratic lawmakers are being characterized as authoritarian and reminiscent of Jim Crow tactics. The four women arrested for protesting have been banned from the Capitol grounds for a full year, limiting their ability to participate in democratic processes.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The 19th