Police arrested two people during the second day of protests outside of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection recruitment event at the Hilton St. Petersburg Carillon Park. Both were arrested on charges that included trespassing, and booked into Pinellas County Jail.
St. Petersburg Police arrested a 38-year-old woman for trespassing and marijuana possession, spokesperson Yolanda Fernandez told the Tampa Bay Times.
The woman was arrested after parking in the hotel lot, which, according to Fernandez,police said wasnot permitted. Fernandez said the woman ignored that order and more that followed. When they refused, Fernandez said, officers made the arrest.
“The subject disregarded the order and continued further into the lot, parking in a space, and exiting her vehicle,” Fernandez wrote. “Officers nearby had observed the exchange and gave her multiple orders to return to her vehicle and vacate the premises. “The defendant refused and was arrested.”
A 38-year-old male was arrested by Pinellas sheriff’s deputies for resisting an officer without violence and trespassing after warning, according to Sgt. Jessica Macksey.
“He decided that he was going to push the limits and violate what they were told … so he was arrested for trespassing,” Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri told reporters at a Wednesday press conference outside the hotel.
“All of this is private property,” Gualtieri said. “The hotel has told them that they’re not allowed to come any further this way.”
Law enforcement officers, including Gualtieri and St. Petersburg Police Chief Anthony Holloway, have been present for both days of protests.
The first day, which lasted from about 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., did not result in any arrests, Gualtieri said.
Customs and Border Protection arrived in the region as the killing of Renee Good during a confrontation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer Jonathan Ross in Minneapolis continues to draw national outrage.
While Customs and Border Protection and ICE are different agencies, they are becoming more intertwined as the former plays a greater role in immigration arrests.
Gualtieri said Tuesday that protests would be permitted as long as demonstrators abided by the rules. He encouraged protesters to “know what you’re protesting against.”
“Because what they’re protesting against is not going on in that hotel,” he said. “There’s not a single ICE person in that hotel.”
Times staff writer Ashley Borja contributed to this report.