Two charged with defacement after Naperville protest
Two people are facing defacement charges after recent protests in Naperville, authorities said.
Anthony Cabeza of Rockdale and Ashton Thomas, whose hometown was not immediately available, were arrested Friday and charged with criminal defacement to public property, according to Naperville police. Both men are 20. Police did not immediately provide their mug shots.
The arrests happened after a small group of protesters twice refused to disperse when ordered to by police, the city of Naperville said in a news release.
Before the dispersal order, police had ensured safety during a peaceful protest of about 200 people, who marched east along Jackson Avenue to Chicago Avenue and Washington Street.
Police established lines to ensure crowd control as protesters left the sidewalk and entered the street, authorities said. When some members of the group "began to actively engage police officers and state their intent to break through the police lines," officers ordered them to disperse, authorities said. The protesters complied after twice being ordered to leave.
The protest was one of two on Friday and one of several since May 30 - including another one Monday - in Naperville over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Police arrested 11 people when a large protest June 1 turned destructive shortly after a curfew went into effect. Police have released details on five of the arrests, which were for offenses including burglary, theft, possession of stolen property, disorderly conduct and interfering with a police officer. One other man was released without charges.
Police have said the cases of the other five people charged remain under investigation.