Law enforcement evacuated parts of the Texas Capitol late Tuesday after a social media threat. The evacuation, which began around 6:30 p.m., came as demonstrators protested a Republican move requiring Democratic lawmakers to remain in the building unless they accepted a police escort to their homes.

The threat, posted by an unidentified individual, urged people to “take action by shooting and killing those who will not allow lawmakers to leave,” according to the Department of Public Safety. The scare stalled the legislative session as Republicans sought to advance proposals on flood victim aid and new congressional maps. 

Texas DPS issued a statement indicating that “personnel are working to identify the individual responsible for posting the message.”

#BREAKING: The grounds are now being closed due to the threat. @cbsaustin pic.twitter.com/yGOdFhM63K

— Andrew Freeman (@AFreemanNews) August 20, 2025

Outside, protest organizer Melody Tremallo told CBS Austin that police warned her that the Capitol might be cleared “due to an imminent shooter threat.”

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While some areas of the grounds remained open, law enforcement guarded lawmakers who remained in the House chambers. 

Several Democrats, refusing the mandated police escorts to ensure that they did not attempt to flee the state again, had remained at the Capitol complex for more than 20 hours. State Rep. Nicole Collier even slept in the building, later receiving a call from former Vice President Kamala Harris in support of her protest.

Democrats returned to Texas earlier this week after staying out of the state for about two weeks. They fled the state earlier this month in protest of Republicans redrawing the state’s congressional map, which is expected to net the GOP five more seats in the U.S. House of Representatives during the midterm elections.

Their stunt has triggered steep fines. A 2021 Texas law imposes a $500-per-day penalty on lawmakers who deliberately break quorum, leaving Democrats facing hundreds of thousands of dollars in financial penalties.