CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police made multiple arrests overnight after demonstrations uptown against The Republican National Convention.
Police said Friday night, at 9:00 p.m. a group of approximately 60 demonstrators left Marshall Park and began to march throughout Uptown Charlotte. The group briefly trespassed onto the light rail tracks at College Street and Martin Luther King Boulevard. The light rail service was temporarily disrupted, and CMPD bike officers responded to reroute those trespassing for the safety of the public.
About an hour later, the same group of demonstrators stopped traffic by surrounding a vehicle that was attempting to travel through the intersection of Stonewall Street and Brevard Street. Officers responded to assist the occupants of the vehicle and restore the normal flow of traffic.
As a result of that violation of law, police arrested 23-year-old William Gissentaner was and charged with impeding traffic, disorderly conduct and resisting a public officer.
As the group of demonstrators continued to march, police said they surrounded another vehicle at North College Street and Trade Street. Shortly after this incident, 23-year-old Nolan Strout assaulted an officer and was arrested for two counts of assaulting a government official and resisting a public officer. Additionally, 21-year-old Antonio Marotta and 19-year-old Olivia Turley were arrested for assault on a government official and resisting a public officer. While officers were making these arrests, several demonstrators began to intentionally interfere, and pepper spray was deployed at those interfering.
