CMPD arrest five people during 2nd night of uptown protests ahead of RNC

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — When Charlotte landed the Republican National Convention, officials predicted there would be protests.

Demonstrators showed up over the weekend and by the time Sunday night rolled around, police made several arrests.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said five people were arrested during the second night of protests in Charlotte.

Groups were protesting the RNC in Charlotte, which officially starts on Monday.

Officers said a group left Marshall Park at around 9 p.m. and began peacefully marching through uptown. Once the group got to College Street and East Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, police said they deployed pepper spray to stop a protester with a pole from advancing toward officers.

Just before 10 p.m., authorities learned that a protester riding a bicycle had a gun with them. Officers arrested Deandre Love, 23, and charged him with possession of a weapon at a protest.

As demonstrators continued to make their way through Charlotte, some people started placing objects, such as business signs, garbage cans, e-scooters and traffic cones in the road to block traffic. At around 11 p.m., authorities said pepper spray was also deployed on a protester who assaulted an officer.

CMPD said a group then surrounded a vehicle that was traveling through the intersection of South Caldwell Street and East 3rd Street. When officers responded to help, a protester was arrested for aggressively approaching police and trying to breach the officers’ perimeter, officials said.

Three additional people were also arrested during Saturday night’s protests.

Police said Shweta Malhorta, 38, and a 17-year-old man were charged with damage to property and resisting a public officer. Rachel Roush, 23, was charged with resisting a public officer, and Dawnya Little, 37, was charged with assaulting a government official.

On Friday night, police said four people were arrested after officers were assaulted during protests in uptown.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said a group of about 60 demonstrators left Marshall Park and began to march through uptown Charlotte at around 9 p.m Friday.

According to police, the protesters trespassed onto the light rail tracks at College Street and Martin Luther King Boulevard. The light rail service was temporarily paused while CMPD officers on bicycles attempted to move the group off the tracks.

The protesters then headed past the Westin. That’s the hotel where more than 300 delegates are staying for the RNC.

About an hour later, police said the same group blocked traffic by surrounding a car driving through the intersection of Stonewall Street and Brevard Street. Officers responded to help the driver and clear the intersection. They arrested William Gissentaner, 23, and charged him with impeding traffic, disorderly conduct and resisting a public officer.

Officers made three more arrests as protesters moved to North College Street and Trade Street. Nolan Strout, 23, Antonio Marotta, 21 and Olivia Turley, 19 were all arrested for assault on a government official and resisting a public officer.

Authorities said pepper spray was also used to control crowds while arrests were taking place.

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Cox Media Group