KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Nearly 100 Missourians staged protests on Wednesday, calling for Republican Sen. Josh Hawley's resignation.
Activists gathered in Kansas City, Columbia and St. Louis, and at each location a couple dozen people showed up.
Those in Kansas City were determined to make sure Hawley knew their thoughts.
"I'm a Missourian, and I don't want somebody that incites coups and continues to push lies, and enables violence to be representing me," Becca Anderson, one of the protesters, said.
Roughly 30 activists gathered outside the federal courthouse that contains Hawley's Kansas City office, where a member of the Real Justice Network delivered more than 127,000 signatures from a Change.org petition demanding that Hawley leave office.
"What we saw in the nation's capital transcends politics, transcends ages," Justice Horn, one of the organizers, said, "and our senator incited that."
Wednesday's protest come the same day Hawley penned an editorial in the Southeast Missourian explaining his actions that he took on Capitol Hill last week.
In it, Hawley said the accusations that he helped incite the riot were "corrosive and dangerous."
"Some wondered why I stuck with my objection following the violence at the capitol. The reason is simple: I will not bow to a lawless mob, or allow criminals to drown out the legitimate concerns of my constituents," Hawley wrote.
Kelsey Saragnese, another protester, said she is "embarrassed" to be represented by Hawley.
"He said that he's speaking on behalf of Missourians, and he absolutely isn't," Saragnese said. "That's why we're here today, to show that Missourians do not support overthrowing the government."
The Lincoln project, a group run by Republicans who are against Trump, have released several ads targeting Hawley.
What we know for sure is that @HawleyMO would rather rule in a dictatorship than serve in a democracy. His #Sedition will not be forgotten or forgiven. pic.twitter.com/NXqj7e7f7c
— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) January 8, 2021
This is your coup. pic.twitter.com/3iOR2I55ih
— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) January 12, 2021
The head of the group told St. Louis Public Radio they'll run the attack ads against Hawley until he resigns or is expelled.
41 Action News reached out to Hawley's office for a response to the ads and has not yet received a response.
The Lincoln Project is buying ad time on local television stations, including KSHB-TV.
