BUFFALO, N.Y. — Buffalo Police say 13 people were arrested overnight Tuesday into Wednesday for refusing to leave Niagara Square. They were part of an effort that has been calling for police reform and had been occupying the square for nearly two weeks.
The Buffalo Police Department says it was time for the demonstrators to go after police say they received numerous complaints from people in the community, of demonstrators creating unsanitary conditions and being threatening to others. There is video of the demonstrators on Facebook live being surrounded by police and some put under arrest.
Nearly two weeks ago, a group called Black Love Resists in the Rust began occupying the square, calling for the release of Deyanna Davis who was in court Wednesday. She’s accused of running over a state trooper and injuring two other officers at a protest earlier this month. Those officers survived.
Marielle Smith, an organizer for Black Love Resists says they decided to leave the square last week, but others remained. Demonstrators have been seen bathing in the McKinley Monument and sleeping on air mattresses.
Police say the group was asked repeatedly to leave.
"We saw a collection of graffiti a lot of it was chalk based some of it was actual spray paint to the monument as I'm sure you know the city invested a lot of money in restoring the monument," said Buffalo Police Captain Jeff Rinaldo. "Nearly on a daily basis we had the chief of the B - District go into the square speak to some of the people who were there some of them were receptive others were hostile towards her and towards our officers that were in the square. But again based on complaints and other actions that some of the protesters were taking a decision was made by the Commissioner of Police that it was time to clear that area."
The 13 people who were arrested were charged with obstruction of governmental administration and for being in a park after 10 p.m., they were all issued appearance tickets. Police say they also confiscated a sword.
Davis remains behind bars and her case will head to a grand jury.
In the meantime, there are concerns on how demonstrators were removed overnight from activist groups, who criticize the Buffalo Police Department for their non-transparency in making the arrests in the dark. But Buffalo Police say the group was in violation of an ordinance that only applies overnight.
But there are some who question that.
"That’s interesting that after 11 days all of a sudden an overnight ordinance is being pushed it had been 11 days so again, still that doesn’t sound like a reason," Smith said.
Buffalo Police say 11 days is long enough given the conditions.