Video: Democratic Lawmakers Melt Down as Tennessee Passes New Congressional Map

Turmoil engulfed the Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville Thursday after lawmakers approved a new congressional map.

Videos posted to the social media platform X showed elected Democrats — a distinct minority in the Volunteer State — walking out of the Capitol in protest while their supporters chanted and disrupted proceedings with noisemakers.

The following short video, for instance, showed black lawmakers quietly walking out of the chamber. One could hear protesters in the background.

Chaotic moments in TN House as Dems walk out in protest of redistricting map cracking Memphis. Alarms are going off in the Capitol pic.twitter.com/kmh6IsipTH

— Melissa Brown (@itsmelissabrown) May 7, 2026

Another video, shot from the protesters’ perspective, captured the chants in the Capitol gallery.

The same video also showed at least one protester chanting “pedophile protector” as Republican lawmakers filed out of the building. Since President Donald Trump and others in his administration