INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Fourteen people were formally charged by the state of Indiana on Friday with a class B misdemeanor for a protest on April 25. The protest called for a cease-fire in Gaza outside the Indiana Governor’s Residence on Meridian Street.

Traffic was interrupted for 45 minutes during the morning rush hour. The protesters chanted, “If we don’t get it, shut it down. Shut it down.”

According to court documents, around 7:30 a.m., police were observing a peaceful protest being held in Tarkington Park. Police spoke to a person who said she was in charge of the protest. This person told police they had no immediate plans to leave the park and protest and if they did so, all laws would be followed and they had no plans to attempt to take over any streets or otherwise interfere with any streets or sidewalks.

Later the leader of the protest told police the protestors were going to march north on N. Illinois Street and again stated that they had no plans to interfere with traffic or otherwise cause any kind of disturbance.

Police were later called to a traffic hazard at 52nd and Meridian Streets. Police say they also responded to 46th St. and 49th St. where protestors were found in the street blocking traffic. Police say there were over 30 protestors in the street between the two locations.

Protesters at those locations told police they were going to be peaceful. At that time police say they gave a dispersal order.

Within 10 minutes of the dispersal order being given, a group of protestors met in front of the Governor’s residence at 4750 N. Meridian. Police say the protestors began setting up a table and held banners in the middle of the street.

Police say there were as many as 30 officers in the street attempting to clear the protestors.

At 8:30 a.m., police made loud verbal announcements to the 14 protestors in the street, telling them they were violation of Indiana law and needed to vacate the street. Police say announcements continued until 9:10 a.m. when officers approached the protestors and explained to them that they could be arrested if they continued to block the street.

At 9:15 a.m., police began arresting the protestors, two at a time.

Jewish Voice for Peace-Indiana, a group that says it’s made up of Indianapolis-based college students, staged the Seder IN Action rally to demand a cease-fire in Gaza and an end to U.S. aid to Israel. The Middle Eastern Association of IUPUI also was part of the effort.

Arrested and charged with Obstructing Traffic were:

Omar Daas, Jihad Saadeh, Austin Myers, Elmahdi Ahmed, Hured Saadeh, Brandon Schaaf, Taylor Parker, Karisa Cole, Brittany Rood, Susan Birndorf, Mohamad Rashid, Payton Emberton, Jessica Phillips, and
Malkay Bird.