A 72-year-old woman who appeared to be doing nothing more than observing Texas Senate proceedings following state Sen. Wendy Davis' (D) filibuster of an abortion bill was forcibly arrested and charged with assaulting an officer early Wednesday morning.
Video captured by 23-year-old Austin resident Elizabeth Willmann shows two troopers surrounding Martha Northington as she sits in the gallery. One of the officers approaches from behind and yanks Northington's arm to bring her to her feet.
"You're hurting me!" she shouts.
At that point, the crowd erupts and several more troopers surround the woman as she's put into handcuffs.
"Stop pushing me, I will walk," Northington pleads.
"This woman was doing nothing but sitting until this state trooper who had already manhandled other women decided to grab her, hurt her and arrest her," Willmann wrote on her YouTube page.
Arrest records published online showed that Northington was charged with "assault by contact" and resisting arrest. Bond was set at $4,000.
According to the Burnt Orange Report, felony charges against Northington may have later been reduced.
