Multiple Arrests Made After Agitators Attack Police, Attempt To Cut Down Flag at RNC Protest
Seven people were arrested in Charlotte, North Carolina, Monday as several hundred protesters gathered to protest the Republican National Convention.
One group told WSOC-TV that there is a “hornets’ nest of resistance” in the city.
Protesters in Marshall Park listened to about two dozen speakers during a gathering called “Resist RNC 2020,” as stated on the group’s official Facebook page.
There was a small scuffle with counter-protesters before demonstrators turned their anger on the police.
“Officers deployed pepper spray on a protestor who was choking a woman and assaulted an officer. The protestor was arrested and charged with assault,” the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department tweeted.
Officers deployed pepper spray on a protestor who was choking a woman and assaulted an officer. The protestor was arrested and charged with assault.
— CMPD News (@CMPD) August 24, 2020
One of the speakers at the “Resist RNC 2020” event criticized the use of pepper spray, The Charlotte Observer reported.
“We don’t know the after-effects of the spray,” Corine Mack, president of Charlotte’s NAACP branch, said.
“We don’t know what kind of chemicals are in the spray. We don’t know if its been banned by the military, we don’t know what it is. What we do know is that it should not be used against people who live in this city who are simply exercising their First Amendment rights.”
Later in the evening, around 9:15 p.m., 100 demonstrators left Marshall Park and marched uptown, according to WSOC.
City Councilman Braxton Winston was among the crowd of protesters. Some were burning a small object, which appeared to be an American flag, in the street when police officers deployed pepper spray on the group, The Charlotte Observer reported.
According to police, a woman had attempted to cut down a flag before the arrests were made.
RNC PROTESTS: An American Flag was lit on fire as protests against the Republican National Convention continue in uptown Charlotte tonight. ? https://t.co/uilTLOB5IM pic.twitter.com/6GGbRY3mh0
— WBTV News (@WBTV_News) August 25, 2020
The CMPD tweeted that two of the suspects had been injured in the incident and were taken to the hospital.
Pepper spray deployed and four protestors arrested after officers attempted to arrest demonstrator who cut down flag from in front of police headquarters. Two of the suspects were injured during incident and transported to the hospital.
— CMPD News (@CMPD) August 25, 2020
The first arrests of the demonstration occurred after police officers broke up the crowd surrounding the burning object, according to The Charlotte Observer.
A police officer had reportedly been pushed off his bike while attempting to extinguish the burning flag and the pepper spray was deployed in response.
The protest had been free of direct clashes with the police until this incident.
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