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Cumberland County DA Won't Pursue Charges Against BLM Protesters Who Were Arrested In June

Willis Ryder Arnold
/
Maine Public

Cumberland County District Attorney Jonathan Sahrbeck says his office will not file any further criminal charges against 32 protesters arrested in June for failure to disperse.

Portland Police made 22 arrests in connection with overnight Black Lives Matter demonstrations near police headquarters June 1 and made another 10 arrests the following night.

In a written statement, Sahrbeck says while the officers had probable cause to make the arrests over two days, there is no evidence that any of the protesters took part in violence against police.

The DA also says while video captured at the scene both nights showed numerous police officers hit with rocks, bricks and bottles, the investigation did not implicate any of those arrested.

“It would be unfair and unjust to treat all members of a group as perpetrators of a certain act based solely on their associations,” says Sahrbeck.