VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The Virginia Beach Police Department confirmed it arrested several people during the Black Lives Matter 757 protest at the Oceanfront Saturday night.
According to Linda Kuehn, the department's public information officer, confirmed police made several arrests. Four individuals were issued summonses for pedestrian in the roadway and four physical arrests were made for charges of: pedestrian in roadway, failure to ID, assault on officer, drunk in public and resisting arrest.
Kuehn did not provide the identities of those arrested.
The 'Shut Down the Oceanfront' protest began at 7:57 p.m. Protesters started their march on 14th Street. The arrests were made shortly after.
BLM757 President Aubrey Japharii Jones was placed inside a Virginia Beach Police unit. Another man was also handcuffed and taken into custody. It's unclear if he was part of the protest.
Kuehn provided this account: "Prior to the event, Police contacted organizers to clarify the restrictions regarding the use of public roadways by pedestrians, and the dangers of interfering with the flow of vehicular traffic. As the group began to walk, they almost immediately entered the roadway, inhibiting the flow of vehicular traffic. Officers made several attempts to gain voluntary compliance and guide them back onto the sidewalk. The pedestrians intentionally walked around two lines of officers on bicycles and returned to the roadway, again hindering the free flow of traffic."
One protester confirmed that arrests were made due to some people walking in the street after police had instructed them to stay on the sidewalk.
“They wanted us to make sure they were staying on the sidewalk and staying on the crosswalk. I honestly think they did a phenomenal job in participating with us tonight. We did our best to follow their rules and regulations," said Protester Jolicia Ward.
"But we’re out here and it’s a lot of passion and it’s a lot of pain. You have to keep in mind that we have the mothers out here, we have the sisters we have the brothers of people who still have not received justice till this day that’s a lot of pain that runs through their blood."
Ward and others expressed the march was to honor Virginia Beach residents that have experienced police violence and injustice in the legal system.
The mother of India Kager was also at the protest. She's one of many family members who came out to speak demanding justice for her loved one. Kager was shot and killed by Virginia Beach Police in 2015.
(Note: This story has been updated to include new information provided by the Virginia Beach Police Department.)