St. Petersburg Protest Ends With Unrest While Hillsborough Gatherings Are Largely Peaceful

WUSF | By Carl Lisciandrello

Published June 3, 2020 at 8:28 AM EDT

The intersection of U.S. 301 and Big Bend Road was shut down in Riverview after a gathering of about 600 at the Bank of America on 13180 U.S. 301 N spilled onto the roadway.

Crowds gathered Tuesday night for three separate protests across Tampa Bay that were largely peaceful but ended in unrest in St. Petersburg.

In St. Petersburg, about 300 demonstrators walked peacefully through downtown streets from 2 p.m. until close to midnight.

Police said some protesters were setting off explosives as they were walking later in the night. Officers told the protesters who had returned to the front of police headquarters just before midnight that this was an unlawful assembly and needed to disperse for the safety of themselves and the officers.

After about two minutes, police launched smoke bombs and several protesters threw large mortars toward the building.

Police say they arrested 23 people who refused to leave, including one who was carrying a backpack full of large fireworks.

In Hillsborough County, several hundred people gathered Tuesday night in what were largely peaceful protests in Riverview and Plant City, with one arrest.

The assemblies gathered around 5 p.m., according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

In Plant City, the Sheriff’s Office said several hundred protesters marched between the Race Trac at 1722 James L. Redman Parkway and the Plant City Police Department. Deputies say one person was seen throwing bottles but fled to avoid arrest, and another was arrested after deputies say he attempted to remove a Confederate flag from a vehicle and burn it, which led to a fight.

The intersection of U.S. 301 and Big Bend Road was shut down in Riverview after a gathering of about 600 at the Bank of America on 13180 U.S. 301 N spilled onto the roadway, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

After being told to clear the roadway, protesters dispersed at 10:45 p.m. without incident, deputies say. There were no arrests.

Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister commended law enforcement for their handling of the largely peaceful protests.

"I commend both my deputies and officers with the Plant City Police Department for their restraint in dealing with agitators and their willingness to show the citizens we serve that we are listening to their concerns and will always be there to protect them," Chronister said in a news release. "I am happy to say that these protests ended with no injuries and no damage to property in either Plant City or Riverview."

WUSF 89.7 depends on donors for the funding it takes to provide you the most trusted source of news and information here in town, across our state, and around the world. Support WUSF now by giving monthly, or make a one-time donation online at WUSF.org/give