Amid redistricting protests, Texas State Capitol cleared of visitors after reported social media threat

Source: ABC News

August 19, 2025, 11:05 PM


The Texas State Capitol was cleared of visitors Tuesday evening and closed to the public after a social media threat, the Texas Department of Public Safety said in a statement.

The disruption came amid protests in support of Democratic State Rep. Nicole Collier, who has been confined to the House after she refused a law enforcement escort during a contentious redistricting fight that saw several Democrats leave the state earlier this month to hamper the redrawing of new maps.

In a statement, the Texas Department of Public Safety said the message was posted earlier Tuesday. "In that message, the individual calls on others to go to the Capitol building and take action by shooting and killing those who will not allow lawmakers to leave," the department said.

The department said it evacuated the public from the Capitol building around 6:30 p.m. local time "for the safety of those at the Texas State Capitol, and out of an abundance of caution."

Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/texas-democrat-sleeps-chambers-after-refusing-gop-law/story?id=124775276