Police Let Protesters Past Caldwell Street Barricade

After almost two hours of rising tensions, police officers have let around 100 protesters past the barricade and towards the Charlotte Convention Center, the site of the Democratic National Convention.

About 300 police officers had surrounded the demonstrators, effectively blocking the intersection at Stonewall and Caldwell Streets. Protesters had set up tents in the middle of the intersection. One man, identified as 60 year-old John Penley, was arrested for trying to climb over the barricade shortly before 1:00 Tuesday afternoon. Penley, a United States veteran, had helped organize the march. At least one other arrest was made during the incident.

As the day continued, however, law enforcement became more lenient with protesters, allowing some to march with their faces covered with bandannas or helmets, two actions that are outlawed under a city ordinance.

Though many protesters have taunted police throughout the day, officers have executed their orders without responding to the comments.

Occupy Charlotte Members Improvise Late-Night Protest March

Several of Charlotte's center-city streets were blocked by protesters in the late hours of Monday night, as they improvised a march at around 11:00.

According to reports, the group of about one hundred protesters left Marshall Park, the site of Occupy Charlotte's group camp, before marching through uptown streets for roughly an hour. The march went down McDowell and Davidson Streets, where the protesters turned down 11th street and returned to Marshall Park by marching back down McDowell.

Around 200 police officers, including CMPD Chief Monroe, followed and monitored the protesters for the duration of the march. The officers kept a focus on maintaining safety in the bordering residential neighborhoods. This was accomplished with a swarm of officers on bicycles. These officers flanked marchers, keeping them out of the residential areas. Also monitoring the march was a group of police officers on foot.

Though some of the protesters taunted police, no one was arrested or injured during the event. When they returned to Marshall Park, shortly after midnight, a number of protesters laid in the street near the park, but left a short time later without conflict.

Some of the protesters involved claimed they were protesting the massive police presence at the convention, while others referred to the march simply as a test.

Not Guilty Verdict For Occupy Charlotte Protesters

Jason Dow, Scottie Wingfield and Laura Brooks can breathe a sigh of relief now, after they were acquitted on charges of resisting arrest and obstructing officers after their January arrests. They were arrested during a protest which involved camping outside of the old City Hall. The Occupy Charlotte movement had been there since October.

These three, as well as other protesters, were arrested because of a city ordinance that prohibits sleeping in tents or preparing to sleep on property that belongs to the city.

Although the Occupy Charlotte members didn't agree with the laws, they adhered to them by removing all of their personal belongings from their tents and refrained from sleeping in them. They directed their focus on making art on the mesh-covered tents to voice their concerns.

Throughout the entire incident, CMPD maintained a positive relationship with the occupiers. One member of Occupy Charlotte stated that the anti-camping ordinances were poorly written and therefore hard to enforce. Nevertheless, city attorney Bob Hageman made a statement saying that the ordinances are still ion effect, even though the three occupiers were found acquitted.