RALEIGH, N.C. — Fifty-four protesters against House Bill 2 were arrested inside the North Carolina Legislative Building Monday evening, and protests continued inside even after the North Carolina House and Senate opened their 2016 regular session and then promptly adjourned.

The protesters, who had gathered in a crowd of hundreds on Bicentennial Plaza south of the building, were allowed late in the afternoon to enter in groups of 100 to continue their protest inside.

About 6:30 p.m., a group of protesters entered the office of state House Speaker Tim Moore, and at least two dozen others gathered outside the door, chanting for repeal of HB2. Law enforcement officers corralled members of the media nearby.

Police began arresting some who refused to leave the area of the speaker’s office about 6:45 p.m. Eighteen were arrested then, said Interim Chief Martin Brock of the General Assembly police force.

Meanwhile, other protesters in a gallery disrupted the House with shouting as the chamber adjourned shortly after the legislature’s short session began at 7 p.m.

Groups of protesters continued chanting in other parts of the building. One gathering, when told by Brock that they would be arrested if they did not leave, chanted, “We shall not be moved.”

General Assembly police then began arresting a group who sat on the floor outside Moore’s office. Thirty-six were arrested then, bringing the day’s total to 54, Brock said. They were charged with second-degree trespassing and violating building rules.

The building was cleared shortly before 9 p.m.

The anti-HB2 rally, part of a day of protests in downtown Raleigh for and against the law, brought together a variety of organizations and protesters calling for full repeal of the law, which they say creates more public safety problems than it prevents.

Throughout the day, the NAACP and others dropped off petitions for the governor and others, calling for repeal of HB2.

Dozens who said they were willing to risk arrest in the demonstration heard from lawyers shortly before the 3 p.m. rally at Bicentennial Mall. The lawyers told them what to do if arrested.

On Monday, Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman said she had talked with police about strategies they could use if sit-ins and other protests warranted police intervention.

Efforts to reach Martin Brock, acting legislative chief, have been unsuccessful.

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©2016 The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.)

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