Five arrested after Saratoga Springs racial justice protesters block Broadway

Zachary Matson, The Daily Gazette, Schenectady, N.Y.
·2 min read

Jul. 15—Five protesters were arrested in Saratoga Springs Wednesday night after dozens of racial justice protesters blocked portions of Broadway.

Protesters wearing Black Lives Matters shirts and chanting "no justice, no peace" gathered at Congress Park around 6 p.m. before marching down Broadway and other parts of downtown, chanting "shut it down," eventually blocking traffic, according to a two-hour video of the event posted on the Saratoga Black Lives Matter Facebook page.

Lt. Bob Jillson said police initially allowed the protesters to march freely down the street but eventually declared it an unlawful assembly and gave protesters three warnings to disperse before moving to break up the protest.

Jillson said five people were arrested on disorderly conduct charges, a violation, and one of those people were also charged with misdemeanor obstruction.

"They continued to obstruct traffic," Jillson said.

The Facebook Live video from Saratoga Black Lives Matter

Saratoga police released the names of the five people arrested Thursday: Adam Walker, 32, of Albany; Arlo Zwicker, 18, of Saratoga Springs; Anthony Brown-Davis, 32, of Albany; Michael Janidlo, 36, of Clifton Park; and Derek C. VanDermark, 46, of Ballston Spa, who was also charged with obstructing governmental administration.

As they blocked traffic in front of the Adelphi Hotel and later other parts of Broadway, protesters laid out what they called a history of racism in Saratoga, highlighting racial disparities among student suspension in Saratoga public schools.

The protesters organized the march to demand an apology from Assistant Police chief John Catone for comments at a late-June press conference he made suggesting social justice activists were perpetuating a narrative that Saratoga Springs police were "racist killers" and should be defunded. Catone on Wednesday released a statement saying that at the June press conference he "allowed anger and frustration to interfere with my intended message."

Jillson said on Wednesday night police allowed the protesters to march around the city for around an hour before breaking up the protest, noting other calls for service in the city the police were receiving.

"At some point, you make a decision this is getting beyond reasonable," Jillson said.

Wednesday: Saratoga Springs assistant police chief walks back controversial comments

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