Florida State Rep. Angie Nixon says her arrest during a protest connected to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ congressional redistricting push was rooted in a larger battle over voting rights and representation in Florida.
In a video posted to Instagram, Nixon thanked Tallahassee attorney Mutaqee Akbar for representing her following the arrest, while accusing DeSantis of “illegally and unconstitutionally” drawing voting maps that removed the power of voters to choose their representatives.
“We wanted to have a conversation with Ron DeSantis after he illegally and unconstitutionally drew maps to remove the right for voters to decide who they wanted to represent them,” Nixon said in the video.
Nixon’s comments revive scrutiny surrounding Florida’s 2022 congressional redistricting battle, when DeSantis successfully pushed lawmakers to adopt a new congressional map that dramatically reshaped North Florida districts and dismantled a previously Black-performing congressional district represented by former U.S. Rep. Al Lawson.
Civil rights organizations and voting rights advocates challenged the maps in court, arguing they weakened Black voting power in violation of the Florida Constitution’s Fair Districts amendments.
Supporters of the governor’s plan argued the previous district was itself unconstitutional because it relied too heavily on race in its design.
Nixon did not specify in the video when the arrest occurred, but framed it as part of broader resistance to the redistricting effort and praised attorney Mutaqee Akbar for stepping in as her legal counsel.
“He is currently my attorney and he came to the rescue after me and three other individuals were arrested,” Nixon said.
Akbar, a Tallahassee-based attorney, was described by Nixon as handling civil rights, criminal defense and personal injury cases.
The controversy over Florida’s congressional maps has remained politically charged because of its national implications. Critics have argued the redistricting changes diluted Black representation and strengthened Republican political control in the state, while DeSantis and his allies maintained the maps complied with federal constitutional standards.
Nixon, one of the Legislature’s most outspoken progressive Democrats, has repeatedly criticized the governor over voting rights, racial equity and criminal justice issues.
Her latest remarks place renewed attention on how aggressively activists and elected officials pushed back against the maps, and the legal consequences some say followed.
The debate also reflects continuing national tensions over redistricting and access to political representation, particularly in Southern states where voting rights litigation has intensified in recent years.
