The people were taken out in handcuffs and seen leaving in police cars.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — During a Jacksonville City Council meeting on Tuesday evening, proceedings were unexpectedly halted as the assembly was instructed to evacuate while police escorted three individuals from the chambers.
Two hours after the incident, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office issued a statement explaining that council leaders had requested the removal of these individuals due to their “disruption of the meeting.”
“A couple of attendees ignored lawful directives to exit the chambers,” stated JSO. “The three people who were detained refused to comply and resisted, turning confrontational with the officers.”
Jacksonville Fire & Rescue Department Fire Chief Keith Powers was in the chambers when it happened. A spokesperson with JFRD says there was a group of people causing a “disturbance” in the back of the room and others joined in.
Police handcuffed three people and removed them from the chambers. Those people were then taken away from the chambers in police cars. The meeting resumed shortly after.
A video from inside the chamber shows a police officer touch a man on the arm, who then brushes him off. He then grabs the man by the neck and appears to pull him to the ground.
Jacksonville Councilmember Rory Diamond tweeted “Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer is a felony in Florida if Jax Council protestors were wondering. Fully expect all charges to be pressed. #BacktheBlue.”
Neither the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office or City Hall security have said a law enforcement officer was injured.
In JSO’s statement, they said a knife was later found on one of the individuals arrested. That individual will be charged with a felony and the other two will be charged with misdemeanors, JSO said.
The statement goes on to say, “JSO respects the right of freedom of speech and the right to protest; however, the actions of the three individuals in custody constituted a clear violation of the law.”
Members of the Jacksonville Community Action Committee gathered outside the Duval County Jail waiting for the people who were arrested to be released from jail. Monica Gold, a member of the JCAC, told First Coast News they plan to stay out there throughout the night.
“We’re demanding the release of our friends and community members to get out of jail because they have no business being here. So that’s what we’re demanding right now,” Gold said.
Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan’s office says they will not be commenting.
Identities released
JSO released the names of the three people who were arrested.
The man accused of having the knife is Conor Cauley, 29, who was charged with resisting with violence and carrying a concealed weapon. The other two suspects are Leah Grady, 24, and Tegan Belloit, 25, and they were charged with resisting an officer without violence. Their mugshots are below.
A photo of the knife is also attached.
