Eco-demonstrations held to protest arrest

Two demonstrations in Bloomington this weekend kicked off a week of protest over the prosecution of local activist Frank Ambrose. Neither rally ended peacefully, and one ended with six people in jail.\nFriday, about 20 bicyclists rode down Kirkwood in protest. Bloomington Police Department Sgt. Bob Neely said about seven bicycle officers from the BPD and the IU Police Department were deployed to Kirkwood to maintain order and clear the way for vehicular traffic.\nOfficers told bicyclists to pull over to the right lane and not block traffic, but they resisted, Neely said. Deputy chief Randy Williamson advised officers that if the bicyclists refused to yield to traffic and did not clear the lanes, they should be arrested, Neely said. \nSix protesters were arrested, Neely said.\nLocal activists are holding a week of resistance in protest before a court hearing for Frank Ambrose April 5. Ambrose was arrested earlier this year and charged with tree spiking. \nBloomington resident Nancy Rinehart, 49, was one of the protesters arrested, Neely said. She and bicyclist Michael Andrews, 49, did not yield to traffic and also resisted arrest, police said. Between the ninth and 10th block of Walnut Street, Andrews pushed into BPD officer Cory Grass and pinned him under his bike, police reports said. \nAndrews also tried to stop the officer from arresting Rinehart, police reports said. Grass remained pinned under the bike until other officers forcibly removed the pair and arrested them, police said. \nBoth were charged with a class D felony for battery of a police officer. Other charges included resisting a law enforcement officer, disorderly conduct and obstructing traffic. \nBPD officer Brandon Lopossa had bruises on his right knee and a minor scrape on his left knee from trying to move another bicyclist, junior Ian Phillips, Neely said. Phillips was charged with battery of a police officer, resisting a law enforcement officer, obstruction of traffic and disorderly conduct, Neely said.\nAnother person also tried to hit Lopossa on the back of the head, police said. He was arrested by detective Rick Helms, Neely said.\nAmong the other people arrested were Shane Becker, 21, and Matthew Heidrich, 18, for resisting a law enforcement officer, disorderly conduct and obstructing traffic, and 47-year-old Alan Murray for obstructing traffic.\n"These people protest against anything and everything," Neely said. "Even bystanders at the happening on Sunday said things like, 'This is stupid' and 'Why don't you guys get a job.' So it wasn't as if they were garnering any support. They are just causing trouble."\nBut junior Bryan Baltzell witnessed the event, and his account told a different tale. He said he got to the scene late but saw police trying to clear the way for drivers. Baltzell said he noticed the contrast that the protesters were singing, and the police were shouting. \nHe said the scene was chaotic.\n"I knew the bike ride was the initial protest meeting of Frank Ambrose's arrest. It was sort of like the first event of education demonstrating events. It dampened the moment. This was a nice peaceful bicycle ride and the police, well, you know … it didn't work out very well."\nAll of them were later released from the Monroe County Correctional Center, except for Andrews, who remained in the jail late Sunday night.\nIn another demonstration Sunday, Bloomington resident Marie Mason chained herself to the steering wheel of a truck, while Cody Haggerty secured himself to the rear axle of a 1982 Chevy Blazer outside Old Navy, 2894 W. Third St., Sunday. Firemen had to use the jaws of life to release them. \nPolice officers said at least eight to 10 police officers, six to eight firemen and an ambulance crew were sent to the store Sunday.\n"Almost our entire patrol was out there on just the west side, while there were just two officers patrolling the rest of the city. Thank God we did not have any major accidents or anything of the sort happening today," Neely said.\nNo arrests were made, but the protesters were warned that unless they left the premises peacefully, they could be arrested for trespassing. \n"He can break his neck, I don't give a shit," Jerry Gates, owner of the Whitehall Plaza property, said of Haggerty. Gates had to pay for the removal of the vehicle from the premises.\n"We had to negotiate with them before they would agree to let themselves be released with the help of firemen," said patrol officer Randy Gehlhausen. "But, thankfully, the whole thing went off peacefully and nothing happened"