Story highlights Unprecedented power grab led to chaos, protests in Raleigh

The moves come after Republicans lost governor's race to Democrat Roy Cooper

Washington (CNN) North Carolina Republican Gov. Pat McCrory signed a bill Friday that strips away power from his Democratic successor, Roy Cooper, before Cooper takes office in January.

"This is not democracy. This is an attempt to take over," said local NAACP President Rev. Dr. William Barber during a protest Friday at the Capitol in Raleigh. "This whole shenanigans is unconstitutional and out of order. What they are passing there, I believe is invalid. It is a violation of our laws."

Barber's voice was at times drowned out by the chants of the hundreds of protesters surrounding him. For a second day, chaos ruled as protesters staged sit-ins, chanted "shame" and "let us in," and knocked on the doors of the legislative chamber.

Raleigh's The News & Observer said at least 39 protesters were arrested Friday and 17 more on Thursday. CNN's calls to General Assembly Police Chief Martin Brock were not returned.

The new law, Senate Bill 4, removes state and county election boards from Democratic control, slows legal battles' path to the state Supreme Court -- where a majority of justices were appointed by Democrats -- and makes the state Supreme Court elections partisan rather than nonpartisan.

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