Protests have become increasingly common at the state Capitol, but one particular act of defiance stood out from the rest this year. In April, lawmakers concluded that day’s debate on one of the most controversial pieces of legislation of the session — a bill that would have allowed school boards to prohibit undocumented students from attending public schools — when 80-year-old Lynn McFarland refused to leave her seat at the close of the meeting. After several attempts to get McFarland to vacate, state troopers picked her up and carried her out of the building, arresting her. The incident drew statewide attention and criticism, and while photos and videos of McFarland’s removal endured, the bill didn’t make it past its final hurdles on the House floor.
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Lynne McFarland
80-year-old protester Lynne McFarland is arrested by state troopers after refusing to leave her seat at the Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee, April 1, 2025
