After knocking on the office door during Kemp’s signing of SB 202 – an election overhaul bill – Cannon is led away by several agents with her hands handcuffed behind her back.
In a statement, the Georgia State Patrol said Thursday night that Cannon “ knocked on the door of the governor’s office ” at 6:33 p.m. and, when told to stop, proceeded to the door of the governor’s office marked with a “ governor’s office. ” Staff Only ‘sign and knocked on that door.
After being told twice to stop knocking on the door in light of the press conference that took place inside, and twice warned she would be arrested if she didn’t stop, ” Rep. Cannon to stop beating. Rep. Cannon was placed under arrest and escorted from the Capitol, ‘the statement said. She was taken to Fulton County Jail and released late Thursday night.
Cannon is facing two charges: obstruction of a crime and preventing or disrupting the general assembly, according to a CNN arrest affidavit. The affidavit states that Cannon was charged with disrupting the General Assembly session because she “ knowingly did by knocking on the governor’s door during the singing session. [sic] a bill.”
The affidavit of the arrest for the charge of obstruction of the crime said they “knowingly and intentionally do Officer E. Dorval and Officer G. Sanchez of the Capitol PD, a law enforcement officer in the lawful discharge or official duties of the officer. “had hindered the use of threats of violence, violence against the person of said officer by stomping LT Langford’s foot three times during the arrest and while she was being escorted out of the property. The accused continued to kick LT Langford with her heels.”
Attorney Gerald Griggs told CNN he represents Cannon. Griggs said he worked at the Fulton County Jail to bind Cannon after she was charged on a felony obstruction charge.
“We are currently getting her out of prison. We are also collecting information on the case. There are multiple videos and we are in contact with the prosecutor,” Griggs told CNN.
In the video, others in the Capitol with Cannon can be heard asking agents, “Why are you arresting her?”
CNN has contacted Kemp’s office for comment.
Cannon’s arrest comes after Kemp signed the sweeping election bill. On Thursday, Georgia made the first presidential battlefield state to impose new ballot restrictions following President Joe Biden’s victory there. The new law imposes new voter identification requirements for absentee ballots, allows government officials to take over local elections, limits the use of ballots, and makes it a crime to approach voters in line to give them food and water.
Republicans threw the measure, dubbed The Election Integrity Act of 2021, as necessary to boost confidence in the election after former President Donald Trump made repeated, unsubstantiated claims about fraud during the 2020 election. Kemp predicted on Thursday that critics of the new law “will threaten, boycott, sue, demonize, and team up with their friends in the national media to call me everything in the book.”
This story has been updated with additional details.
CNN’s Kelly Mena, Fredreka Schouten and Kendall Trammell contributed to this report.