Dozens gathered on Sunday in front of the mansion of the Governor of Texas to start a week of protests and public comments against the special session of Texas legislature.
The group gathered to hear the speakers deal with a number of issues that will be raised at a special session, including: redistribution of the state congresses; use of a transsexual bath; and access to abortion pills. But the comprehensive request they had was the legislators to “focus on the flood” – a phrase that the group chanted many times throughout the evening.
“[Abbott] Returns people to Capitol to deal with the agenda that attacks the rights of women who attacks LGBTQia+ Texas, and attacks various color communities that still dry out of the storm, “said Austin ZohaiB Kadri.
Puja Sethi speaks of a protest opposing the redistribution of Texas in the estate of the Texas Governor on Sunday, July 20, 2025 in Austin. The redistribution is one of 18 positions that Texas Governor Greg Abat has listed on the agenda for the upcoming special session.
Governor Greg Abatt last month called a special session using his authority to return MPs to Austin to deal with the conservative priorities that stopped this year. In Texas, only the governor can convene such a session and set his agenda.
It was the first in a series of protests and gatherings organized against the special session this week. On Monday, the Capitol building is scheduled to protest from noon to 2:00 pm Centering Disaster Prevention. On Wednesday, organizers hold the House Packaging event, encouraging citizens to appear to watch houses from the public gallery. The organizers also encouraged protesters to talk to their representatives of the state and to make public comments during the hearing during the special session.
Many of the group of about 100 protest focused on the redirection of congress regions. This key position for the ABBOTT agenda, administered after pressure from the White House, can enhance the number of the Republican majority, which will potentially expand the slender party in the United States after the 2026 election.
The speaker compared the problems as a redistribution with the reaction of the state of lightning floods that passed through central Texas earlier this month. The problems surrounding emergency readiness and flood relief are on the governor’s package for the special session, but speakers say political issues overshadow the flood.
While the redistribution is legal, most speakers painted it as an unfair and selfish use of power. The former chairman of the Democratic Party of Travis and a candidate for the Texas Chamber of Representatives, called the “dishonest”, “hastily” and “infidelity”.
“Do not abduct the special session for your personal benefit,” said Pam King, Vice President of Black Austin Democrats Pac.
Lynn this one is present at a protest opposing the redistribution of Texas at the estate of the Governor of Texas on Sunday, July 20, 2025 in Austin. The redistribution is one of 18 positions that Texas Governor Greg Abat has listed on the agenda for the upcoming special session.
Amanda Yaroski, a defender of Austin’s reproductive rights, has called on legislators to “focus their efforts on adopting legislation, which will help and relieve people’s devastating claims” from central Texas floods. She encouraged them not to prioritize the restriction of abortion drugs that “are often used in life -saving critical health care for the mother.”
Protesters have shown that they are standing against a varied array of problems. Lynn Leili, a regular participant in Capitol’s protests, said he believed that redistribution was the grab of power by the Republicans. She said it was so unfair that the first -grader could understand it. Ayaan Molestina, the 16-year-old director of the Student Student Policy, appeared to criticize the focus of a special session on the removal of Staar test by calling it a political move to avoid dealing with school funding. Those who support this move say that the assessment does not really improve the results of the students.
Other speakers included Nancy Thompson, the founder of mothers against Greg Abbot; Javi Andrade, Candidate for Democratic Congress for the 10th Congress County; Christine Hook, a former candidate for the Congress for the 21st Congress District; And Sofia Mirto, President of Hands Off Central Texas, which is a coalition of people and organizations that “protect democracy and engage the civil power of people.”
The protest on Sunday was organized by Seti and Idona Griffith in conjunction with advocacy groups, an indivisible Roses and mother for democracy.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Su-Statsmen: In Texas, protesters require About to focus more on floods during the session