Rev. Julie Peeples among those arrested in Thom Tillis’ office

The Rev. Julie Peeples of Greensboro was among those arrested at a sit in at NC House Speaker Thom Tillis’ office at 2 a.m. this morning, according to a press release.

“After nearly 12 hours of protest – and numerous warnings from the General Assembly authorities – eight workers from McDonald’s, Wendy’s and Bojangles; four clergy members; a nationally recognized housing expert and a retired public school employee were arrested,” a press release from the North Carolina NAACP reads. “The Tillis 15 went to the Speaker’s office intending to speak to him about repealing and reversing the measures that are hurting them and their neighbors directly, but they were never able to see him.”

In the video above, people participating in the sit in explained why they were taking action at Tillis’ office. Peeples is the first demonstrator that appears to explain her rationale.

Peeples wasn’t the only person from the Triad arrested in the protest, which is connected to the Moral Monday movement. From the press release:

“Crystal Price, a 27-year old worker at a Wendy’s in Greensboro, was one of the fourteen moral witnesses arrested today,” it reads. “She is a mother of two children living on minimum wage and also suffers from cervical cancer. Denying the Medicaid expansion and cutting the Earned Income Tax Credit have impacted her ability to make ends meet.”