Thread: Police say ‘explosive device’ found in Durham; 31 protesters arrested

Police say ‘explosive device’ found in Durham; 31 protesters arrested

By Jim Wise
jwise@newsobserver.comDecember 6, 2014 Updated 4 hours ago
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A protester is arrested on South Mangum Street in front of DPAC during Friday night's demonstration in downtown Durham on December 5, 2014. JILL KNIGHT — jhknight@newsobserver.com |Buy Photo

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• Arrested
  1. Austin Marie Bouton, 24, of Durham – charged with failure to disperse and impeding the flow of traffic
  2. Susan Catherine Edgerton, 32, of Durham – charged with failure to disperse and impeding the flow of traffic
  3. Adrienne Liege Harreveld, 21, of Durham – charged with failure to disperse and impeding the flow of traffic
  4. Tamika Monique Heard, 21, of Durham – charged with failure to disperse and impeding the flow of traffic
  5. Aaron Alexander Caldwell, 21, of Raleigh – charged with failure to disperse and impeding the flow of traffic
  6. Susan Anne Pietroluongo, 23, of Apex – charged with failure to disperse and impeding the flow of traffic
  7. Akeem Zarhar Cheek, 29, of Durham – charged with failure to disperse and impeding the flow of traffic
  8. Morgan Anne Brooks, 25, of Raleigh – charged with failure to disperse and impeding the flow of traffic
  9. Sara Taylor, 26, of Durham – charged with failure to disperse and impeding the flow of traffic
  10. Allison Charlotte Swaim, 26, of Durham – charged with failure to disperse and impeding the flow of traffic
  11. Kathleen Rebecca Yow, 28, of Hillsborough – charged with failure to disperse and impeding the flow of traffic
  12. Chelsea Amanda Flowers, 29, of Durham – charged with failure to disperse, impeding the flow of traffic and resisting, delaying and obstructing officers
  13. Kellie Ann Grubbs, 28, of Graham – charged with failure to disperse and impeding the flow of traffic
  14. Alexandria Leigh Stewart, 22, of Durham – charged with failure to disperse and impeding the flow of traffic
  15. Masha Taskindoust, 21, of Durham – charged with failure to disperse and impeding the flow of traffic
  16. Dominique A. Beaudry, 21, of Concord – charged with failure to disperse and impeding the flow of traffic
  17. Gabrielle Karine Beaudry, 18, of Concord – charged with failure to disperse and impeding the flow of traffic
  18. Laurin Michelle Gioglio, 29, of Carrboro – charged with failure to disperse and impeding the flow of traffic
  19. Natalie Frances Smith, 33, of Durham – charged with failure to disperse and impeding the flow of traffic
  20. Kenneth M. Strickland, 29, of Durham – charged with failure to disperse and impeding the flow of traffic
  21. John Charles Thornton, 28, of Durham – charged with failure to disperse
  22. Crystal Larence Eatmon, 19, of Durham – charged with failure to disperse and impeding the flow of traffic
  23. Rachel Anna Cotterman, 26, of Hillsborough – charged with failure to disperse and impeding the flow of traffic
  24. Danielle Katherine Nelson, 22, of Durham – charged with failure to disperse and impeding the flow of traffic
  25. Lauren Brooks Parker, 30, of Durham – charged with failure to disperse and impeding the flow of traffic
  26. Erin Bree Heuerman, 32, of Durham – charged with failure to disperse and impeding the flow of traffic
  27. Asha Renee Godfrey, 22, of Graham – charged with failure to disperse and impeding the flow of traffic
  28. McKenna Elizabeth Ganz, 21, of Colorado Springs, Colo. – charged with failure to disperse and impeding the flow of traffic
  29. Abigail Victoria Harris, 25, of Chapel Hill – charged with failure to disperse and impeding the flow of traffic
  30. Lydriquez Blount, 26, of Durham – charged with failure to disperse and impeding the flow of traffic
  31. Charles William Soeder, 28, of Durham – charged with failure to disperse and impeding the flow of traffic

DURHAM — Police recovered what appeared to be an “undetonated explosive device” Saturday morning at a location where more than 20 protesters were arrested during a demonstration Friday night.

The device, a bottle with a wick and an “apparent petroleum-based liquid,” was found in the 600 block of Foster Street, between West Geer and West Corporation streets, police spokeswoman Kammie Michael said.

Police had no reports of any such devices being thrown during the demonstration, but rocks and sticks were thrown at officers, Michael said.

Friday night’s demonstrations were part of a nationwide series of protests over recent police actions in Ferguson, Mo., and New York City.

Spectacular Magazine, a bimonthly published in Durham, announced Saturday that it is sponsoring buses to a National March Against Police Violence in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 13.
Police made a total of 31 arrests during Friday’s demonstration, which included demonstrators blocking several downtown streets and the Durham Freeway. On Saturday afternoon, Michael said no injuries or property damage had been reported.

“There was an erroneous report (Friday) night that a police car had been damaged, but we could not locate a damaged vehicle,” she said.

Those arrested were charged with failure to disperse and impeding the flow of traffic. Chelsea Amanda Flowers, 29, of Durham also was charged with “resisting, delaying and obstructing officers.”

Police estimated the demonstrators’ number at more than 100.

Those arrested were released at the Durham County jail after posting bails set at $1,000 to $2,500.

Besides the freeway, Chapel Hill Street, Mangum Street, Vivian Street, Rigsbee Avenue and Geer Street were blocked at some point during the demonstration. Several arrests were made near the Durham Performing Arts Center, which was between early and late performances by comedian John Oliver.

Traffic diverted

City Manager Tom Bonfield said police had blocked a freeway entrance near the Durham Bulls Athletic Park, which demonstrators used to access the freeway during a Nov. 25 protest, but on Friday night demonstrators “ended up actually jumping fences and getting out on the freeway,” Bonfield said.

Police were able to divert freeway traffic onto alternate routes.

“No accidents happened and nobody got run over, it’s just phenomenal,” Bonfield said.
“We had to get them off the highway because it became a very dangerous situation,” Police Chief Jose L. Lopez said Saturday afternoon.

“They went ... to get on the highway, then they started going through the traffic. I think that had been part of their intention from the beginning,” he said.

Lopez said police believe the protest organizers were from Raleigh and Chapel Hill, rather than Durham, “and I think there’s a group of anarchists out there that coordinate this.”

Twelve of those arrested Friday were from outside Durham, including two from Raleigh and one each from Chapel Hill and Carrboro.

Residents’ concerns

Bonfield and Mayor Bill Bell were complimentary of the police handling of Friday’s demonstrations, but some Durham residents had other opinions.

“I am sad, embarrassed and angry. Why do we still have a police force that suits up in riot gear to confront Durham Citizens?” Jeremy Roth wrote in an email to Bell and City Council members. “Why do we continue to make things worse?”

Kelly Jarrett wrote an email to the City Council to “express my displeasure” with Lopez’s response to the demonstrations, particularly his statement that they were organized by outsiders.

“These protestors in Durham are almost all Durham and local residents,” Jarrett wrote. “(Lopez’s view) suggests a disconnect from Durham residents, especially those most subject to and critical of some of the Department’s policing practices.”

Durham police have come under strong criticism on multiple fronts in the past two years, including allegations of racial profiling in traffic stops and the use of tear gas to break up a demonstration over the death of teenager Jesus Huerta while he was in police custody in November 2013.

Friday night, police were at the demonstration in patrol cars and unmarked vehicles as well as on motorcycles, bicycles and foot. At one point, they used a sonic crowd-dispersal weapon to break up a crowd at DPAC, and helmeted officers pressed a crowd away from the theater.
“People are demanding changes in police practices and attitudes. Not outsiders. Not agitators. Durham residents and citizens,” Jarrett wrote.

http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/12/...ound.html?rh=1

It looks the Occupy group ( the Democrat's anarchist army) is back out in force.