BLM protesters storm Rochester police HQ and hospitalize three cops over 'wrongly' arrest of one their group
Three officers have been hospitalized after protesters stormed the Rochester Police Department headquarters last night, with two assaulted with a weapon.
Jordan Hughes, 26, allegedly attacked a sergeant and an officer during the violent scenes which also saw a third officer injured.
Demonstrators had gathered to protest the arrest of BLM activist Nicholas Wilt, 50, who was arrested earlier on yesterday in Webster despite an 'erroneous warrant'.
Three officers have been hospitalized after protesters stormed the Rochester Police Department headquarters last night
Demonstrators said police used pepper spray, beat up protesters, and held Wilt illegally.
The Bernie Sanders delegate was first arrested on September 12 for unlawful assembly and resisting arrest.
He had been protesting the death of Daniel Prude, a black man who was suffocated by police in Rochester in March.
Demonstrators had gathered to protest the arrest of Nicholas Wilt , 50, who was arrested earlier on yesterday in Webster
The Bernie Sanders delegate was first arrested on September 12 for unlawful assembly and resisting arrest. Pictured: protesters in Rochester last month
Police said Wilt was arrested again yesterday during protests and they took him to the station after realizing he had an outstanding warrant for failing to appear at court on September 22.
But police have now admitted the bench warrant was 'erroneously issued'.
Rochester police officials said early Wednesday: 'The original arrest of Mr. Wilt on September 12 was for unlawful assembly and resisting arrest, with an appearance date of October 22.
'It appears the bench warrant was issued erroneously when Mr. Wilt failed to appear in court on September 22.
Wilt had been protesting the death of Daniel Prude , a black man who was suffocated by police in Rochester in March
'RPD will be working with Rochester City Court to determine how this error occurred, and to determine ways we can prevent future occurrences.'
The mix-up with the warrant and his arrest again yesterday led to a protest outside the Public Safety Building, during which the officers were attacked with a weapon.
Police said: 'While inside the building, at least one of the protesters assaulted a Rochester Police Sergeant and another Officer with a weapon and he was subsequently arrested and charged with assault.'
On another night of protests across the US, police in Portland, Oregon, made two arrests after statues of former presidents were toppled on Sunday.
Brandon Bartells, 38, is accused of driving a van to pull down a statue of Theodore Roosevelt.
Brandon Bartells and Malik Fard Muhamad have been arrested by Portland Police after Sunday's protests which saw statues toppled
He was charged with first-degree felony criminal mischief and felony riot, and he is also a suspect in the toppling of Abraham Lincoln's statue.
Malik Fard Muhamad, 23, was also arrested for allegedly using a metal baton to smash out the windows of the police office at Portland State University and other businesses.
He is also accused of destroying the windows of the Oregon Historical Society, a museum which was then set on fire and had an artefact stolen.
Muhamad has been charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a loaded firearm in public, first-degree felony criminal mischief and felony riot.