Police staged in the downtown area in order to monitor a group staging a peaceful demonstration. The demonstration started shortly before 7:00 p.m. at Main Street Square. Shortly after starting, the group began walking toward the courthouse. Once they wrapped up demonstrating at the courthouse, the group attempted to occupy Saint Joseph Street. This forced police to block and divert traffic for the safety of the demonstrators. An individual was seen leading the group into the roadway with a bullhorn, encouraging other to do the so as well. and law enforcement watched him lay down in the roadway. Several others were seen laying down in the roadway and identified. After the group was told to leave the roadway, the demonstration continued to the Public Safety Building and then back to Main Street Square. At one point after returning to Main Street Square, the demonstrators were engaged by a group of counter protestors. Law enforcement had to intervene in order to ensure the situation did not escalate further. The counter protest group ended up departing. At one point, the main group announced that it was wrapping up and most of the demonstrators had disbursed. The individual seen laying in the roadway was spotted and taken into custody. 19-year-old Wyatt Fenner of Rapid City was placed under arrest for Disorderly Conduct and Disorderly Assembly. At about this point, the counter protest group began to drive by in vehicles and yell and the main group. The original demonstrators reassembled and began marching again. Their path took them back to the courthouse, then to Memorial Park. As the group headed southbound onto Mount Rushmore Road and then east onto Saint Joseph Street, several members of the demonstration were seen entering the roadway while traffic had a green light to obstruct traffic. Those seen engaging in this dangerous behavior were detained and arrested. The group was declared an unlawful assembly (see explanation below) in the area of Saint Joseph Street and 7th Street. The group stopped in the area of Saint Joseph Street and 6th Street and ultimately dispersed.
Those taken into custody were:
- 41-year-old Shawn Kerns of Rapid City – Disorderly Conduct
- 15-year-old juvenile – Disorderly Conduct
- 16-year-old juvenile – Disorderly Conduct, Disorderly Assembly
Police later made contact with 18-year-old Lydia Alyea of Rapid City who was seen laying in the roadway in front of the courthouse. She was placed under arrest for Disorderly Conduct.
Unlawful Assembly: Despite repeated warning about unlawful behavior over public address systems, members of this group continued to engage in unlawful behavior. Even after making arrests of the unlawful and downright dangerous behavior, members of the group continued to engage in the same behavior. It was clear that no amount of police intervention was going to convince the demonstrators to discontinue this behavior if they stayed as a group. This is why the group was asked to disperse.
