Tennessee State Reps. Justin Jones, Justin Pearson Joined Protesters Confronting Troopers at Capitol

Tom Pappert
Pearson and Jones Police

Tennessee State Representatives Justin Jones (D-Nashville) and Justin Pearson (D-Memphis) joined protesters engaged in a sit-in at the Tennessee Capitol after being removed from the House gallery and urged troopers not to make arrests.

Jones and Pearson reportedly “intervened” by stepping between protesters and troopers, according to NewsChannel 5’s Phil Williams, who was with the Democrats during what he described as a “sit-in.”

“She was silent in the gallery,” said Jones, the California native who moved to Tennessee to study theology, in the video of the exchanged posted online by Williams.

Jones continued to argue, “This is a mother who was not yelling,” despite the trooper’s objections.

Troopers proceeded to move the detained protester into the elevator, and during this time Pearson moved with the crowd toward them. A trooper appeared to briefly touch Pearson, prompting further complaints from the crowd.

The protester was apparently removed from the House gallery after Jones called Representative William Lamberth (R-Portland) a racist. Protesters then began chanting, “Ku Klux Kameron,” in an apparent reference to Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville).

Yes, Every Kid

Protesters disrupted the Tennessee House after lawmakers passed the budget in a 78-18 vote, but video suggests the disruption was sparked after Jones accused Lamberth of racism.

A response from Lamberth, who recently filed a resolution condemning neo-Nazism, was inaudible in the video recording.

Video from the balcony showed one protester being removed from the gallery by troopers after the disruption.

It was later claimed a protester identified as Allison Polidor refused to leave after being asked by troopers, insisting she was not among those chanting.

Democratic Tennessee House candidate Amanda Collins later reported that Polidor was eventually released by troopers after she was removed from the gallery.

Pearson and Jones, who left the House floor to intervene between troopers and the protesters, were previously expelled from the Tennessee General Assembly due to their role in a gun control riot last year. Voters ultimately returned the Democrats to their seats in special elections that followed.

Jones currently faces a challenge to the signatures submitted to officials for his reelection campaign. The Democrat currently has the minimum of 25 valid signatures, meaning his Republican opponent Laura Nelson would only need to disqualify one to remove Jones from the ballot.

Their participation in this week’s disruption comes as Jones appears to suffer poor relations with his Democratic colleagues.

In a now-deleted post Jones made to X in March, he declared Sexton “has bought and paid” for elected members of the Democratic Party, and accused his colleagues of being complicit in the Republican’s plans for Tennessee.

A disagreement involving Jones previously led to the suspension of a staffer for State Representative Torrey Harris (D-Memphis) until the end of the legislative session.

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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Georgia Star News, The Virginia Star, and the Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Justin Pearson and Justin Jones” by Phil Williams.

 

 

 

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2 Thoughts to “Tennessee State Reps. Justin Jones, Justin Pearson Joined Protesters Confronting Troopers at Capitol”

  1. Tim Price
    April 18, 2024 at 6:49 pm

    When is this sh*** stirrer going to remove permanently?

    Reply
  2. Randall Davidson
    April 18, 2024 at 5:23 pm

    Phil Williams is just another “protestor”. Jones and his buddy should look in the mirror if they really want to see a racist.

    Reply

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