Saturday’s “No Kings” rally and march against President Donald Trump and his policies drew a large crowd to the Loop, but no significant problems were reported as of early evening. Several shops hired board-up teams on Friday to protect their storefronts. So far, those reinforcements have been unnecessary.
A 21-year-old suburban man detained during a protest in the Loop on Thursday evening for allegedly possessing a pistol while posing as a police officer had not been charged as of lunchtime Saturday, according to a Chicago Police Department spokesperson.
Meanwhile, CWBChicago has discovered more about some of the 17 protesters arrested during a more contentious demonstration on Tuesday evening. According to arrest files, the most serious charges filed were for making physical contact with police officers during the rally downtown.
Asnat Berestizhevsky, 27, of the 1200 block of North Maplewood, is suspected of throwing water bottles at officers, one of which injured a CPD sergeant, according to her arrest record. According to the report, when she was arrested, authorities discovered that she matched the description of someone who sprayed graffiti on a CPD squad car near the protest. It stated authorities discovered a spray paint container in her backpack. She’s been charged with felony criminal damage, misdemeanor violence, and resisting.
Natalie Copeland, 20, of the 400 block of East Oakwood, faces two felony charges of aggravated violence on a peace officer. Copeland, dressed entirely in black and holding a Mexican flag on his back, flung an “unknown liquid” at two uniformed police near State and Washington, according to a CPD complaint. Copeland had previously been named as Nathan Sol in a CPD media release.
Yony Salgado, 33, of the 2700 block of South Homan, became “infuriated” when hurling obscenities at officers failed to elicit a response from cops attempting to halt an “unruly mob from stopping an arrest,” according to his arrest report. When one police failed to respond, Salgado “looked straight at [the officer] and spit on [the officer’s] face,” according to the report. Salgado allegedly fled the scene while the officer attempted to manage the mob. However, the cop eventually encountered him and arrested him.
Jonathan Ellison, 37, of the 1000 block of South Clark, has also been charged with felony aggravated violence against a peace officer. According to his arrest record, he flung a bottle containing an “unknown liquid” that hit an officer’s face, vest, and pants. That officer tackled Ellison, who made a “spontaneous utterance that it was just water, and his emotions got the best of him,” according to the report.
Jordan Schnitz, 33, allegedly swung a protest banner and hit a CPD sergeant in the face near State and Monroe. According to her arrest report, officers had to lift her off the ground “multiple times” due to her “dead weight.” She faces minor charges of violence and resisting. Her home address does not appear on her arrest report.
Joel Perez, 22, of Summit Argo, Illinois, refused to move away from a police line and began “recklessly flailing his arms into the crowd,” according to his arrest report. The report states that he aggressively approached officers at State and Monroe as a crowd surrounded them. Police spotted him punching officers, according to a criminal complaint. He is charged with misdemeanor reckless conduct causing bodily harm.
Noor Soufan, 31, of the 100 block of East 14th Street, attempted to “invade the police line” near Michigan and Washington, according to her arrest record. The report stated that she yelled profanities at a male CPD sergeant “in an irate manner and then forcefully bumped her chest against” him. She also allegedly assaulted a female sergeant, causing injuries to her elbow and hand. Two more cops allegedly sustained injuries while attempting to apprehend her, one to the ring finger and the other to the shoulder. She faces two charges of aggravated violence against a police officer and two counts of resistance.
Police details on the remaining arrestees were not immediately available. CPD identifies the following individuals and their charges:
- Brenda Rosales, 33, misdemeanor reckless conduct causing bodily harm
- Oscar Garcia Jr., 24, misdemeanor reckless conduct and misdemeanor resisting or obstructing
- Ali Khaledodeh, 26, misdemeanor criminal defacement
- Charles Brooks, 20, misdemeanor criminal defacement and a citation for possession of paint or a marker with intent to deface
- Jacqueline Rincon, 21, misdemeanor resisting or obstructing
- Jose Stewart, 23, misdemeanor reckless conduct
- Anusha Singh, 25, misdemeanor reckless conduct
- Lucas Shutt, 20, misdemeanor reckless conduct