Eight people were reportedly arrested after trespassing during a climate change protest Monday outside of Texas Sen. Ted Cruz's home in Houston.
A group of roughly 60-70 people arrived at the sidewalk near the Republican's residence on Monday, with some making their way onto Cruz's private property despite "multiple warnings" and an "ample amount of opportunities" to leave the area, Assistant Chief Ban Tien of the Houston Police Department said.
Officers reportedly spent "over an hour trying to negotiate" with the small group that disobeyed orders, but they were then arrested, the Washington Examiner reported.
"The large majority of the group [were] extremely peaceful [and] out there expressing their First Amendment rights [to] protest against climate change," Tien said. "Unfortunately, there was a small group who [were] actually committing trespassing into private property in front of the senator’s residence."
"The Houston Police Department support[s] First Amendment rights, support[s] public assembly, but it has to be done in a safe manner, and it has to be done within the confines and the scope of the laws," he added.
Erin Douglas, a Texas Tribune reporter, photographed the protest and said demonstrators were there to demand that President Joe Biden halt negotiations with GOP leaders and pass New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s civilian climate corps plan.
The protest outside Cruz's home was the last leg of a 40-day climate march that began in New Orleans, Douglas reported.
A GoFundMe page for the arrested activists surpassed $3,200 as of Tuesday morning, the Washington Times reported.
"Marchers presented a choice to the President: continue negotiating away our future with Republican climate deniers like Cruz or stand with the young people who elected you," the group wrote, the Washington Times reported. "Stop negotiating with moderates and the GOP on climate jobs legislation and fight for what the people need."
In April, protesters rallied outside of Cruz's home to protest in what they called a day of community action in response to the inaction from congressional representatives and city council, an ABC affiliate in Houston reported.
Nearly three bus loads full of demonstrators were said to have traveled to the home of Sen. Cruz. Many were seen on the front sidewalk drawing attention with signs, banners, loud chants and even a small band.
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