Protesters gather at governor's mansion

Protestors blocked North Blount Street in front of the governor's mansion in downtown Raleigh Thursday evening in response to Gov. Pat McCrory signing the new state discrimination bill into law Wednesday night.
Posted 3/25/2016, 12:36:00 AM Updated 9/23/2025, 7:51:13 PM

TAKEN INTO CUSTODY OUTSIDE THE

GOVERNOR'S MANSION.>>>

THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE SHOWED UP

TO VOICE THEIR OPPOSITION TO

THE NEW LAW.

>> ADAM OWENS JOINS US LIVE

WITH WHAT IS UNFOLDING OVER THE

LAST COUPLE OF HOURS.>>

Reporter: DEBORAH AND KEN, AS

YOU MENTIONED, IT APPEARS THAT

AT LEAST FOUR PEOPLE WERE

ARRESTED.

WE'RE WAITING TO GET THE

OFFICIAL NUMBER FROM THE

RALEIGH POLICE DEPARTMENT.

THIS PROTEST STARTED EARLIER

THIS EVENING WORK OUTSIDE THE

GOVERNOR'S MANSION AND

EVENTUALLY, IT SPILLED ONTO

BLOUNT STREET SHUTTING IT

DOWN.>> [CHANTING]

>> Reporter: HUNDREDS AND

HUNDREDS STRONG, THERE WAS A

STRONG GROUP AND ONE BY ONE,

THEY WERE ARRESTED AND TAKEN

AWAY.

>> ALL OF THESE PEOPLE ARE

UPSET, ANGRY, LEFT OUT OF THE

DEMOCRATIC PROCESS.

>> Reporter: THE PROTESTERS

BLOCKED OUTSIDE THE GOVERNOR'S

MANSION.

THE BILL DOES NOT ALLOW PEOPLE

TO USE THE RESTROOM ASSOCIATED

WITH THE GENDER THEY IDENTIFY

WITH.

BACKERS SAY IT'S TO DO WITH

SAFETY BUT THESE PEOPLE CALL IT

DISCRIMINATION.

>> OUR COMMUNITIES ARE STRONG,

RESILIENT AND WHAT SOLUTIONS

THAT INCLUDE THEM.

>> Reporter: OPPONENTS SAY IT

ELIMINATES OTHER RESTRICTIONS.

ELIZABETH SAYS SHE IS NOT

DIRECTLY AFFECTED BUT SHE

TRAVELED FROM CHARLOTTE TO

STAND BY THE PEOPLE IN THIS

CROWD.>> THIS LAW HURTS THESE

PEOPLE.

AND THEN IT HURTS US.

>> EARLIER TONIGHT, WE RECEIVED

A STATEMENT FROM THE OFFICE OF

GOVERNOR PAT McCRORY SAYING,

"STANDING WITH NORTH CAROLINA

PARENTS WORD ABOUT THE PRIVACY

AND SAFETY OF THEIR CHILDREN

WILL ALWAYS BE A TOP PRIORITY

FOR THE GOVERNOR NO MATTER THE

SPIN BY THE MEDIA, PUNDITS OR

POLITICALLY CORRECT CROWD."

PROTESTERS SAY THEY WILL

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