The Capitol grounds were cleared after 7 p.m. as a demonstration against a GOP redistricting plan was about to begin. Texas lawmakers and staff members were allowed to remain inside the Capitol.

A Democratic state lawmaker who fled Texas in protest of a GOP redistricting effort is asking a court to let her exit the Capitol, after she was told she needs a police escort to leave the building.

I’m just as stubborn as they are,” said state Rep. Nicole Collier about her refusal to allow 24/7 police surveillance.

After Democrats returned to the Texas statehouse, Republican leadership assigned law enforcement officers to monitor them to prevent further delays to their plan to redraw congressional voting districts to favor Republicans ahead of the election.

The Texas Department of Public Safety evacuated protesters from the Texas Capitol on Tuesday after a reported possible threat against lawmakers closed the building and surrounding grounds.

Texas Republicans mandated that Democratic lawmakers not be allowed to leave the state house without a permission slip and a police escort.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday threw her support behind Texas state Rep. Nicole Collier, who has spent two nights effectively trapped inside the state Capitol after refusing Republican demands that she agree to 24-hour police surveillance.

Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer says for “most Americans” Vice President Kamala Harris is a “blank slate”.