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The Alamance County Sheriff's Office said the presence of a gas-powered motor prompted a crackdown on Saturday's "I Am Change" march to the polls.
Michelle Mills, the sheriff's Community Engagement and Diversity Coordinator, detailed during a Monday press conference the events leading up to and after sheriff's deputies clashed with demonstrators.
The event in Graham was meant to be a peaceful get-out-the-vote march and demonstration. The event turned violent with Graham Police officers used pepper spray to force marchers off of the street. The event carried on, but became violent again when sheriff's deputies tried to shut down the event an hour earlier than planned, demonstrators said. Several people were arrested.
According to Mills, Rev. Gregory Drumwright, a Greensboro-based civil rights activist and march organizer, contacted the sheriff's office on Oct. 20 to secure a permit for the "I Am Change" march. "The permit was approved that same day," Mills said, adding that Drumwright engaged in a Zoom call with law enforcement officials the day before the march was to take place.
According to Mills, law enforcement officials informed Drumwright there could be no gas-powered equipment in use on the property during the protest.
"A male with a gas can was within the permitted area," Mills said. "At this point it was imperative the container was fully identified. A deputy from the sheriff's office was ordered to locate and remove the container from the rally."
Mills explained the proximity of gas and a generator was deemed a fire hazard. Deputies moved to remove the equipment by force. From there the confrontation escalated to law enforcement using pepper spray on demonstrators.
Although Sheriff Terry Johnson was present for the press conference, he did not speak.
Later on Monday, the sheriff's office released the names of those arrested along with what they were charged with: Drumwright, fail to disperse on command; Cierra Tate of Greensboro, weapons at parades; Stephen Morris Walker of Greensboro, fail to disperse on command; Brenden Jamar Kee of Greensboro, fail to disperse on command; Hannah Elyse Garcia of Elon, fail to disperse on command; Timothy James Olson of Springfield, Pennsylvania; fail to disperse on command; Kahi Adon of Greensboro, fail to disperse on command; Regis Kishon Green of Durham, fail to disperse on command; Samuel Pierre of Pink Hill, N.C., fail to disperse on command; Rion Kelly Thompson of Greensboro, fail to disperse on command; Devante Esters Cromartie of Parkton, N.C., fail to disperse on command; Dionne Janiece Liles of Graham, fail to disperse on command; Melissa Marie King of Burlington, false report to a police station; Faith Cook of Graham, misdemeanor riot; and, David Eli Baghdadi of Hot Springs, N.C., resisting public officer.
This article originally appeared on Times-News: Gas can prompts protest crackdown, claims Alamance Sheriff's Office
