
Urban Outfitters, 188 Middle Street, Old Port, is Boarded up Due to Damage Last Night During Protest.
Twenty-three people were arrested last night in a demonstration that started peacefully at 7:00 pm. The demonstration began peacefully and turned violent according to a press release issued by Lt. Robert Martin, spokesman for the Police Department.
A group of several hundred people gathered on Commercial Street and made their way to locations throughout the city where they engaged in peaceful protest.
Around 8:30 pm, some of the protesters began to disperse and a few hundred remained in the area of Police headquarters at 109 Middle Street where officers continued to keep roads closed to allow the group to gather safely in the streets.
Some of the protesters began damaging barricades and were encircling and attempting to damage the Police vehicles that had been positioned at intersections to close off roads and they were preventing them from leaving the area. During this time several officers had water bottles, glass bottles and rocks thrown at them. Some had their vehicles swarmed, where protesters threatened them with death.
The Urban Outfitters Store, 188 Middle Street was broken into by a large group just after 9:00 pm according to the same Police Department press release.
A tractor trailer truck that completed a delivery on Middle Street drove through the group that was gathered in front of the Police station just after 9:30 pm, The truck was stopped just past the intersection of Middle and Franklin Streets by Police. The driver and his passenger were being confronted by protesters when Police were able to intercede. The driver was taken into custody when Police and the occupants of the truck started to be attacked.
Over the next hour, the crowd continued to escalate by throwing bottles, rocks, bricks and urine at Police. Several trash cans were set off on fire in the Old Port and there were reports of burglaries and damage done to buildings in the immediate area.
Criminal Activity was reported at: Old Port Wine, 79 Commercial Street; Baciencia, 494 Congress Street; Cumberland Avenue Shop, 360 Cumberland Avenue; and Urban Outfitters, 188 Middle Street. Criminal Mischief on windows was reported at four locations. Graffiti activity was reported at a long list of locations in the Old Port.
All of the arrested were taken to the Cumberland County Jail where they were processed and released on bail.