Police arrested 17 people for failing to disperse during a protest in St. Charles Friday night.
The "Good Trouble" protest was held in memory of Democratic U.S. Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, a champion of the civil rights movement who died July 17.
The protest began near the intersection of Lombard and Beale streets, located in the Streets of St. Charles, at around 7:30 p.m. The St. Charles Police Department approached the group and offered assistance with traffic control, police said.
Officers made arrests a few hours later.
Police said the protestors refused to discuss their intended route, or the safety concerns officers had.
Police in St. Charles, Missouri, arrested 17 people late Friday after a protest in honor of the late U.S. Rep. John Lewis of Georgia.
Protestors began walking from the Streets of St. Charles to northbound 5th Street and continued west on the North Service Road of Interstate 70 to the entrance ramp of westbound Interstate 70 at Convention Center Boulevard.
At about 8:25 p.m., the group walked out into the westbound traffic lanes, causing a dangerous situation for the group and drivers on the interstate, the release said.
After 9 p.m., officers gave the group multiple orders to disperse. A final order was given at 9:22 p.m. after most of the protesters left westbound I-70 and walked back up to the Convention Center Boulevard overpass.
Two people were arrested on the entrance ramp for failing to disperse and a car was towed from the area. As protestors walked onto the overpass, officers continued to give orders to disperse. Two more protestors were arrested on the overpass.
Protestors continued walking from the overpass to eastbound Veteran’s Memorial Parkway and back to the Streets of St. Charles, the release said. Officers continued giving orders to disperse.
Just before 10 p.m., police arrested 13 people near the intersection of Lombard and Beale streets.
One protestor suffered a minor injury to their hand, was taken to the hospital for treatment and has been released. No officers were injured during the protest and there were no incidents of property damage.
The westbound lanes of I-70 were closed for about an hour during the protest.
All 17 people have been released.
