'Verbal Confrontation' Breaks Out During Protest In Norwalk: PD

NORWALK, CT – Police said additional officers were called to the scene of a peaceful protest Thursday evening on the Norwalk Green after a "verbal confrontation" broke out. No arrests were made and no one was injured, police said.

After the department became aware of the peaceful protest, officers were assigned to monitor it, according to a news release. The gathering began at 5 p.m., however an additional group of protesters formed on East Avenue across the street from the Green approximately 20 minutes later.

"Due to an escalating verbal confrontation between these two groups, additional officers were requested to the scene to maintain the status quo," Lieutenant Terrence Blake said in a news release. "Once these officers arrived at the scene, they maintained a visible presence along East Avenue."

According to Blake, one northbound and one southbound lane of East Avenue were temporarily closed, however traffic remained flowing in both directions. Both groups began to disperse from the area at approximately 6:10 p.m.

Blake said the crowd was estimated to be about 300 people.

According to the Norwalk Hour, the protest was part of a nationwide effort to show support for Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

The counter-protesters consisted of four men who allegedly waved an American flag and used a traffic cone as a megaphone to chant various phrases at the crowd, according to the Norwalk Hour. Both groups allegedly shouted profanities at one another.

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Photo credit: RJ Scofield