Granby Woman Among Dozen Arrested at "Black Lives Matter" Protest

A dozen people, including a Granby resident, were arrested late Monday afternoon after blocking rush hour traffic and refusing to move during a “Black Lives Matter” protest in Hartford.

Virginia McDaniel, 60, was among the 12 protesters who stood or sat in the roadway at Bloomfield and Albany avenues and refused to move out of the way of traffic.

Each was charged with disorderly conduct, and released on a written promise to appear in court.

Ages of the arrested individuals ranged from 24 to 74.

The gathering, which began around 4 p.m. at the Unitarian Society of Hartford at 50 Bloomfield Avenue, attracted about 75 protesters.

At approximately 4:15 p.m., some participants in the rally began to sit or stand in the roadway, blocking vehicular traffic at rush hour, and also blocking an artery to the University of Hartford. This action began creating traffic congestion.

The participants were asked to leave the roadway. Demonstrators were given several warnings to clear from the street or face arrest, but they refused to move.

The non-compliant protesters were peacefully placed under custodial arrest and transported to the Hartford Police Department detention facility without incident. All arrested people were referred to community court on one of three separate court dates assigned to the demonstrators.

Following the arrests, the police detail departed. A Hartford Police ‘Faith Based Officer’ stayed in the immediate area to ensure the safety and security of the demonstrators.

There were no reported injuries.

Photo credit: Jay Joseph via flickr creative commons