Four people arrested for illegally protesting pride parade in Rome
Four people were arrested in Rome, Georgia for illegally protesting a pride event.
On Wednesday, June 14, a pride parade organized by the Rome Pride organization was held on Broad Street and concluded in Heritage Park.
During the parade, a protest assembly was permitted to lawfully gather between 9:30 a.m. and noon along the parade route.
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There were no issues with the legally permitted protest group, but after the parade concluded at Heritage Park, police learned there were two other illegal gatherings on 2nd Avenue directly across from the park.
Officers approached the first protest and informed the participants that they were involved in an illegal gathering.
They were given five minutes to disperse and though police said they were not happy with the situation, they voluntarily complied.
Officers spoke with the second group and gave them a five-minute limit to break up their protest and move along.
Due to previous encounters, the officer recognized some of the people from that group from a meeting at the Rome Police Department where they were complaining about Rome Pride being allowed to lawfully assemble in Rome.
During that meeting, the city ordinance was explained to them and they were advised to file for a permit if they would like to legally assemble a protest.
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The people at that meeting felt that a permit went against their first amendment rights and made it clear they were not going to file for a permit.
The members of that second group did disperse at the end of their five-minute time limit and moved down the street where they walked as a group and held protest signs.
Officers once again warned the group members to break up their group and move on.
They were given another five-minute time limit but refused to leave.
Angela Antonella Rubino, Bradley Steven Barnes, William David Smith, and Melissa Renee Smith, who, according to an incident report, were representing the Etowah Republican Assembly by their clothing, were arrested and charged with violation of assembly permit.
Police say William Smith was also found in possession of a pistol at the time of his arrest.
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