Expelled Tennessee lawmakers claim targeted persecution and amplified rage in American politics.

Two Black Democrats, Justin Jones and Justin J. Pearson, who were recently expelled from the Tennessee statehouse, claim that their activism and presence as young Black voices made them targets of the predominantly white GOP caucus. The lawmakers, who are community organizers and social justice advocates, were ousted over their protests on the chamber floor in the wake of a deadly mass shooting. The move to expel the two Black Democrats and not the white lawmaker who protested alongside them has raised accusations of racism. Jones and Pearson both plan to fight to get back into office to represent their communities again.