Justin Pearson says brother detained during Tennessee redistricting protest

Rep. Justin Pearson said his brother was among protesters detained during a House floor session in Nashville as lawmakers passed a new congressional map that would split Memphis. Pearson posted videos on Facebook showing his brother being removed from the chamber and taken to a law enforcement van for booking by Nashville officers.

In the video, Pearson hugged his brother and told him he was proud of him before Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers took him away. Troopers also removed other protesters from the House chamber during the session.

Nashville House chamber

The detention happened during a special session at the Tennessee Capitol. Pearson, a state representative from Memphis, said the protests erupted before the House passed the newly proposed map for Tennessee.

The map would split Memphis, making the protest tied to a direct change in how the city is represented in Congress. Pearson’s posts put his family into the center of the scene as troopers moved protesters out and officers in Nashville prepared bookings.

Facebook videos from Pearson

Pearson’s account is the clearest public description of what happened to his brother. He said his brother was removed from the House chamber, placed in a law enforcement van, and booked by officers in Nashville.

No other information on the detention has been released. For Memphis residents following the special session, the immediate question is now how the map that passed will move forward after protests broke out on the House floor.