7 people were arrested and 2 were hospitalized Monday night during the anti-Trump protests at the Republican National Convention (RNC) in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers used pepper spray to disperse a crowd around 10 PM when an object was seen burning in the street, the Associated Press reported. It appeared to be an American flag that was set on fire, The Charlotte Observer reported.
“Demonstrators push bicycle officer off his bike while he attempted to extinguish a fire lit by demonstrators,” the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said Monday night on Twitter. “Two arrests made and pepper spray was deployed.” (RELATED: Unrest Erupts In Wisconsin Town After Police Shoot Black Man Entering His Car)
Demonstrators push bicycle officer off his bike while he attempted to extinguish a fire lit by demonstrators. Two arrests made and pepper spray was deployed.
— CMPD News (@CMPD) August 25, 2020
Charlotte City Councilman Braxton Winston, who was hit by pepper spray during the demonstration according to The Charlotte Observer, said that the police department’s claim that protesters pushed an officer off a bike was a “lie.”
This is a lie
— Braxton Winston (@BraxtonWinston) August 25, 2020
A video posted to Twitter showed police officers on bicycles using pepper spray to disperse the crowd.
Police just rode in on protesters after a flag was lowered to the ground. They made arrests and pepper sprayed. One officer rolled his back over someone on the ground. #rnc2020 pic.twitter.com/olVRZR0uOd
— Jeff Taylor (@jefftaylorhuman) August 25, 2020
Four protesters were arrested after a flag was cut down from in front of the police headquarters, the police department said on Twitter around 1:45 AM Monday night. 2 people were injured during the arrest and taken to the hospital.
Protesters in Charlotte blocked traffic and clashed with police Sunday night ahead of the RNC convention. In the 3 days leading up to the RNC, about a dozen people were arrested, according to the Associated Press.