The Atlantic City protest that promised to shut down Atlantic City ended with seven people arrested, including organizer Steve Young.
The group was first warned that they could be arrested while at the top of the Albany Avenue bridge.
They then walked to the Atlantic City Expressway, where they entered the eastbound lanes, which had been blocked off by police.
When the group stopped, officers moved in to arrest them.
They were charged with obstructing a highway and refusal to obey a reasonable official request.
Young was among three also charged with resisting arrest. All were released on summonses.
“The Atlantic City Police Department and our law enforcement partners have been preparing for this protest due to threats made by organizers,” Chief of Police Henry White Jr. said. “While we respect and support those that exercise their First Amendment rights, we will not allow a major roadway to be blocked cutting off access for our community members, emergency personnel, or visitors to the city of Atlantic City. We are grateful that the Atlantic City community did not participate in this misguided attempt to shut down the city.”
After the arrests, the remaining protesters then followed police orders to clear the road.
Mayor Marty Small showed up, and was met by name calling and accusations that he was a traitor, with one man calling him "a house n-----."
The protest had remained peaceful as it wound through the city Saturday.
Protesters first headed to the Albany Avenue bridge after a rally at the Public Safety Building led by Young, who was about 40 minutes late to the 1 p.m. protest.
Young started the protest by calling for peace and for changes in the city, including a birthing center and education.
The only interruption seemed to be Small's new video truck loudly playing music and his campaign ad, including an "endorsement" from his opponent.
Young said the interruption was meant to frustrate people.
Police had the bridge closed to traffic to allow the marchers through.
The group then was read the ordinance that prohibits obstruction of traffic.
After several minutes, the protesters headed off the bridge and back into the city, eventually heading to The Walk.
Traffic on the Atlantic City Expressway already had issues Saturday after a serious crash.
Young had promised to shut down the city.
But police were the ones who blocked traffic.
After the arrests, the majority of protesters heeded police warnings to get back and clear the road.
Those arrested were Young, 60; Levar Davis, 21; Nolan Mitchell, 45, and Michael Scott Jr., 45, all of Atlantic City; Taiwa Ukawabutu, 55, of Pleasantville; Alex Kettles, 52, of Burlington, and Troy Ogelsby Sr., 57, of Cherry Hill.
In addition to Young, Ogelsby and Ukawabutu were also charged with resisting.
The American Legion Riders came to the city to protect the military monuments in the city, Post 352 Somers Point President Michael Merlino told BreakingAC before the protest.
His group and Williamstown Post 252 were there not to counter the protest but to protect the military monuments in the city, he said, insisting it would not be confrontational and was not against the Black Lives Matter protest.
But protesters walked by the All Wars Monument at O'Donnell Parkway without incident as they headed over the Albany Avenue Bridge to stop people from coming into the city.
They then paraded through the city, with uniform police on foot accompanying them and followed by police cars with their lights, including unmarked black SUVs.
Small had said that all law enforcement agencies were already in the city this week.
Several were spotted Saturday, including State Police and sheriff's officers.
The relationship between the mayor and Young hit a bad spot this week, as the two tried meeting with Small hoping to move the shut down off of the Fourth of July holiday.
Talks broke down, with Small said Young disrespected him at the meeting, and that the protest was about Young. Young said Small wanted to run things and that the true nature was to call attention to the issues in the city's African-American community.
Meanwhile, there didn't seem to be members of Pagan's Motorcycle Club anywhere in sight, despite a call someone claiming to be a member made to Harry Hurley's radio show.
There were bikers at the All Wars Monument and about three across from the Public Safety Building as the protest began.
"We think it is important to protect the monuments honoring those who sacrificed for every freedom and liberty we all enjoy daily," Merlino said. "This is personal also, as two of my uncles names are on the WWII Honor Roll Memorial located at the All Wars Memorial."
