2 arrested, 1 sent to hospital after Uptown rally ends, CMPD says

CHARLOTTE — Police said Uptown’s “No Kings” rally occurred without major incident, with two people arrested and one person sent to the hospital to be treated for OC spray exposure.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police said about 5,500 people participated in a rally in Uptown on Saturday afternoon as part of a nationwide protest.

The rally began at 11 a.m. in First Ward Park and continued with a march through Uptown. The rally ended at 2 p.m.

Organizers and protestors said they were there to send a message to President Donald Trump.

“I just can’t believe what’s happening to our country, I worry for our grandchildren, great nieces and nephews, for what the country is going to be like for them,” protestor Sue Rawls said.

A few Trump supporters showed up as well to make their voices heard.

“They have their beliefs, and they have a right to protest as long as it stays on the down-low, it’s good, but I’m here in support of ICE and what they are doing and Donald Trump,” Ken Littler said.

READ: ‘No Kings’: Crowds gather across Charlotte area as part of nationwide day of protest

After the rally ended, police said a group of about 200 people, who were not affiliated with the event organizers, stayed in Uptown and continued to march.

Police said they arrested 20-year-old Tirsa Gande Sanchez and 23-year-old Shannon Brooke Riley for assaulting officers, who did not sustain any injury.

In response to the continuing protests, officers pushed people back with bikes and sprayed oleoresin capsicum, or OC spray. This was to gain compliance and reopen roadways, according to police.

Video obtained by Channel 9 shows the moment protestors were sprayed and then ran away. One woman told Channel 9’s Glenn Counts that police did not warn them beforehand.

Channel 9 is reaching out to CMPD to learn more.

One person was sent to the hospital and treated for OC spray exposure, MEDIC said. Over the course of the day, they also treated four protestors for heat exposure.

WATCH: ‘No Kings’: Crowds gather across Charlotte area as part of nationwide day of protest