Three people were facing disorderly conduct charges, for activity related to the Galleria shooting protests.
Mark Myles and Andy Baer, a UAB history professor, were arrested in connection with the demonstration that blocked traffic on I-459 last week. Myles said he was taken into custody at the Galleria, scene of the fatal Thanksgiving police shooting of Emantic "EJ" Bradford, Jr. "When I was headed to the bathroom, I noticed ... a couple of cops following me, so I turned around, and by the time I turned around, he circled me in front of the bathroom," Myles said.
A third protester, Anne DiPrizio, was arrested after police said she threw Christmas decorations into traffic in front of Hoover City Hall, while demanding justice for Bradford. "I’m free. Keep the focus on EJ. No peace until Justice," DiPrizio posted on her Facebook page Monday.
A protest organizer, Carlos Chaverst, vowed that the arrests would not stop the demonstrations. "A misdemeanor charge is not stopping us from doing very much of anything," Chaverst said. He did not elaborate on future demonstration plans.
Hoover city officials said they would continue to support the right to protest, while drawing the line at demonstrations that crossed the line into a threat to public safety or property damage. "What we can't support are activities that go outside of those constitutional bounds," City Administrator Allen Rice said.