Cops surround protesters near Democrat convention

Cops surround protesters near Democrat convention

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Police surrounded a group of protesters Monday who began an unauthorized march and sat down blocking an intersection near the Democratic National Convention. At least one person was in handcuffs.

The group of as many as 200 protesters began the march around 12:30 Monday. The group was intentionally heading outside of a designated parade route and didn’t have a permit to march. They had only made it a couple of blocks from a city park where they were gathered when hundreds of officers arrived.

Officers made a barricade of mountain bikes to stop the march’s progress, surrounded the group and attempted to corral them into an area near the park designated for protester speeches.

A protester who crossed the barricade was put in handcuffs by officers. The protester had identified himself to a reporter as a veteran named John Pendly earlier in the march.

A group of 25-30 protesters sat in the intersection and was surrounded by officers. Police in riot gear began arriving to supplement an initial wave of plainclothes officers.