3 Black Lives Matter Protesters Arrested At Pro-Police Rally: PD

LINDENHURST, NY — Three people were arrested during clashing protests at Babylon Town Hall in Lindenhurst on Sunday afternoon, according to Suffolk police.

A fight broke out between members of a pro-police rally and a Black Lives Matter rally, police said. The group Black White Brown United joined the Black Lives Matter protesters.

Officers intervened and three people from the Black White Brown United group were arrested at 2:15 p.m. Rosalia Garay, 29, of Stony Brook, was arrested and charged with second-degree harassment and second-degree obstruction of governmental administration. Police said she kicked an officer in the groin.

Noah Milstein, 23, of Massapequa Park, was charged with second-degree obstruction of governmental administration and resisting arrest.

Lisa Strollo, 34, of Babylon, was charged with obstruction of governmental administration and resisting arrest.

All three were issued appearance tickets to appear in court.

Strollo shared video of the arrests on social media. She told Patch she was part of the Black White Brown United group and claims none of their members put their hands on police officers.

"We were traumatized," she said.

Strollo said she noticed a man at the Blue Lives Matter rally was the same man who contacted her on social media and sent her death threats. She said the man made his way to the Black Lives Matter side and members of the group approached him to protect Strollo.

Strollo said she went in between them to prevent a fight. She claims police descended upon them and an officer threw her to the ground. She said she screamed "Get off of me," while one of other members was trying to get her out. Strollo said she was not resisting arrest but rather stuck under a pile of police officers.

"I was being beaten by male officers," she said. "They put handcuffs on me and wouldn't tell me why I was arrested. It wasn't until later on that they told me why I was arrested."

Strollo claims she sustained injuries on her hands and has open wounds. She also said officers didn't read her her rights.

"I couldn't believe I was being arrested because I didn't know that I was doing anything wrong," she said.

According to Strollo, the philosophy as a group is to never hit anyone and never find yourself in a fight. She said the group attends these protests to "get their voice heard and get their point across." This was the second counterprotest Strollo and her group attended; they went to one in Wantagh recently but she said police officers escorted them away for their safety.

Kevin Carrigan, who told Patch he attended the pro-police rally, said that a member of the Black White Brown United attempted to punch him but missed. He said that is what started the dispute between protesters and the police.

"The cops didn’t start no fights or anything they did their jobs," he wrote to Patch. "This guy came at me and threw a punch that’s when the cops put him against the car."

He said that's when other members of Black White Brown United jumped in.

Ed, of Babylon, was at the pro-police rally, and said the event was not meant to be political. He declined to give his last name.

He said he attended to show support and appreciation for local police as well as boost morale. He said overall, the rally was positive and packed with people with flags and chanting as passing drivers honked. He said the rally and the opposing Black Lives Matter rally were peaceful.

Ed claims the only problem was when he saw 10 people dressed in all black, with some wearing black ski masks, get out of a van. He described them as "militants." Ed said they were marching and carrying an American flag but people didn't know what group they belonged to. He said the group of 10 people marched past the Black Lives Matter protesters and police and tried to reach the pro-police crowd.

"They were trying to stop [the group] but they had bullhorns and camera. They were cursing and ranting and raving," he said. "They took police by surprise. Police asked everyone to go back on the grass but the 10 people dressed like militants did not."

Ed said one of the group's members pulled someone off a motorcycle, sparking the dispute with police.

Ed said that the people dressed in black, whom he called belligerent and "nasty," disappeared after 30 to 45 minutes. After they left, Ed said there were no more arguments between the two groups.

"[The event] was just to support our police, the ones who are there in any emergency. We just didn't want these guys to feel unappreciated," Ed said. "I think when they saw the positivity they felt appreciated."

Strollo said at the protest, her group, Black White Brown United, had about 20 members, with about 50 from another Long Island activism group also in attendance. She said about 100 people attended the Blue Lives Matter rally and the two groups were all on the front lawn of Town Hall separated by the driveway.

WARNING: Videos contain graphic language