Woman is arrested after California lawmakers are splashed with red liquid on Senate floor

CNN/September 14, 2019

By Madeline Holcombe

California lawmakers were evacuated Friday after a woman tossed a feminine hygiene product containing what appeared to be blood onto the Senate floor, officials said.

The woman threw the object from the Senate gallery, according to a statement from the California Highway Patrol, which is investigating the incident. It said the liquid landed on several Senate members.

"The California state Senate, it's a crime scene," Sen. Richard Pan's office said.

When the woman walked out into the hallway, she was arrested on several charges, including assault, vandalism and interfering with the use of state property.

On Monday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed two bills -- SB 276 and a companion bill SB 714 -- limiting medical exemptions for vaccines. Anti-vaccination activists have been protesting at the capitol for the past two weeks.

Pan introduced SB 276 in February, and compared Friday's incident to an assault against him by an anti-vaccination activist last month.

"This (latest) incident was incited by the violent rhetoric perpetuated by leaders of the antivaxx movement. As their rhetoric escalates, their incidents of violence does as well. This is an attack on the democratic process and an assault on all Californians and it must be met with strong condemnation by everyone," Pan said in a statement.

CNN's Sarah Moon contributed to this report

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