After several hours of protesting peacefully through downtown St. Petersburg, a group of about 150 demonstrators gathered in front of the police department off and on.

Police received information that a red SUV connected to the demonstrators had items stockpiled that could be used as projectiles. Shortly before midnight, inside the SUV in the 1200 block of Central Avenue, officers found a gas cannister, glass bottles, bricks, a bag of large rocks and a metal pipe. Photo is attached.

Three people were arrested:
Lady Nicole Nash, 9-25-1990, of Largo
Eddie Bryant, 8-23-1991, of St. Petersburg Javonta McCloud, 7-29-1991, of Clearwater Their charges are pending.

When the group returned to the Police Department at around 1:15 a.m., protesters drove cars onto 1st Avenue North despite barricades to keep it closed to traffic. Due to the earlier threat found, and the presence of additional cars on the closed road, Police declared an unlawful assembly and gave the remaining demonstrators a warning to leave the area. Then police discharged smoke bombs and dispersed the group.

One of the organizers of this week’s protests, Anthony Thomas Koedel, 2-20-1991 was also arrested for inciting a riot.