Dozens arrested after protests break out in uptown Tuesday

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Police arrested more than a dozen people on Tuesday after several protests broke out in uptown Charlotte.

There were at least three protests in the area on the first official day of the Democratic National Convention.

Eyewitness News crews saw between 100 and 150 protesters near the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Tuesday afternoon. Just before 3 p.m., they started to move down Stonewall Street toward the convention center. About a half-hour later, the group stopped at Ninth and Tryon streets and protested there, then began to head back to where they started.

People walking on Stonewall were not allowed to cross Brevard Street from the Convention Center area toward the protest crowds.

Police lined the sidewalks on foot and on bikes. They also formed a line across Stonewall around 1:40 p.m. At first, people were told to take a detour; then officers allowed delegates only to cross. People were allowed to leave the protest area and cross Brevard.

Some buses were forced to let off delegates blocks from their destination.

One delegate, Eli Waite, said officers seemed to have everything under control.

"Hopefully nothing gets out of hand," he said. "[We're] trying to get out of here before anything does get out of hand."

Police said they made three arrests on Tuesday morning and afternoon.

John Penley, 60, of Asheville, was arrested around 12:30 p.m. on E. Stonewall Street and charged with breaching a police line and barricade, police said.

Officers said Dylan Wrynn, 42, was arrested around 10 a.m. on N. Tryon Street and charged with disorderly conduct.

Paul Davis, 43, of Philadelphia, was arrested around 10 a.m. on North Tryon Street and charged with disorderly conduct and dispersal of a noxious substance. Officers said the substance was green dye and no one was injured.

Later, around 5:15 p.m., officers arrested 10 people at the intersection of 5th and College streets. Police said they were sitting in the intersection, physically blocking the roadway, and refused to move.

Police arrested Kitzia Esteva, Gloria Martinez Estevez, Rosa Carrasco, Martin Uncueta, Eleazar Castellanos, Yovany Diaz, Julio Sanches and Gerardo Torres.

They were all charged with impeding traffic.

On Monday night, Channel 9 obtained video from a feed in uptown of protesters and police at Eighth and McDowell streets.  It was posted by Wall Street South on Ustream.

At times, you could hear some of the protesters chanting and cursing at police during the protest on Monday night.  Protesters said they felt the police presence was unnecessary and it prevented them from getting to the heart of uptown.

Protesters said the city and police seem to have no issue about them marching on residential streets, but only care when they want to march by businesses and corporate buildings.

A protester who was shooting the Ustream video said he wants people to follow in real time and use the power of social media. He said when there is a march, they will have the stream up.

WSOC