Protesters arrested after blocking traffic near Capitol

From a prior protest: Demonstrators march in the Texas Capitol on Monday, May 29, 2017, protesting the state's newly passed anti-sanctuary cities bill in Austin, Texas. Opponents call Texas' anti-sanctuary cities law a "show your papers" law since it empowers police to inquire about peoples' immigration status during routine interactions such as traffic stops. (AP Photo/Meredith Hoffman) less From a prior protest: Demonstrators march in the Texas Capitol on Monday, May 29, 2017, protesting the state's newly passed anti-sanctuary cities bill in Austin, Texas. Opponents call Texas' anti-sanctuary ... more Photo: Meredith Hoffman, Associated Press Photo: Meredith Hoffman, Associated Press Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Protesters arrested after blocking traffic near Capitol 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

AUSTIN — State police arrested 15 immigration protesters Wednesday outside the state Capitol after they blocked traffic at a key intersection.

Texas Department of Public Safety officials who police the capitol complex said the demonstrators, who were protesting Attorney General Ken Paxton's opposition to a federal policy protecting children from deportation, staged a peaceful sit-in outside Paxton's office at mid-morning.

Marching afterward to the Capitol, they blocked traffic at the intersection of 15th Street and Congress Avenue, just north of the Capitol. Troopers then moved in and forcibly removed the demonstrators — several of them in handcuffs — to clear the street, DPS and bystanders said.

Authorities said they could not immediately say whether arrests would be made. No injuries were reported, officials said.

Protesters supporting Planned Parenthood and objecting to legislative attempts to further restrict abortions also were at the Capitol on Wednesday.