Four people are facing charges after pandemonium erupted at a canceled Donald Trump rally at the University of Illinois-Chicago Pavilion on Friday night.
Chicago residents Sergio Giraldo, 23, Sohaan Goss, 21, and Timothy Bradford, 32, along with Kathleen Griffin, 45, of Barbeau, Michigan, are facing charges in connection with the violence surrounding the rally and accompanying protests.
The Republican presidential front-runner was scheduled to speak at the arena at 6 p.m., with doors opening at 3 p.m. When the rally's postponement was announced, the crowd burst into shouts and cheers, and scuffles broke out. People could be seen yelling at each other and making vulgar gestures; multiple punches were thrown. A man who took the podium was escorted away.
Two police officers were wounded in the scuffle, one of whom was struck in the head by a bottle. Both suffered non life-threatening injuries. A video posted on social media shows an officer with an apparent head wound at Van Buren and Racine. Both officers were treated at area hospitals and released.
Giraldo is charged with two felony counts of aggravated battery against a peace officer, one felony count of resisting and obstructing a peace officer. He is also facing two misdemeanor charges of resisting arrest and obstructing a police officer, according to a release from Chicago Police.
Goss has been charged with one felony count of aggravated battery of a peace officer and five misdemeanor charges of resisting and obstructing a peace officer.
Bradford is charged with two misdemeanor counts of resisting and obstructing a peace officer, while Griffin faces on charge of resisting and obstructing a peace officer.
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Officials said Friday they also issued one administrative notice of violation to 27-year-old Sopan Deb, a reporter from New York City. Police said he was temporarily detained, transported to the police station, and then released with the ticket.
Information on attorneys for Giraldo, Goss, Bradford. Griffin and Deb was not immediately available.
Officials from the Chicago Police Department originally said Friday that five people total were arrested amid the chaos that erupted following the announcement that Donald Trump would be postponing his appearance.
Interim Chicago Police Superintendent John Escalante said at a press conference Friday evening that two arrests were made by his department, two were made by the UIC police, and one was made by state police.
As of Saturday morning, however, the Chicago Police Department made four arrests, the State Police said it did not make any arrests, and the UIC police could not be reached for comment.
"It is unfortunate that parties on both sides allowed their political views to become confrontational, and that's unfortunately resulted in that scuffling and the arrests that were made," Escalante said. "We were confident that we had the right security for the event and the protesters as well."
Mayor Rahm Emanuel released a statement late Friday, praising the CPD for its "hard work tonight in unexpected circumstances, and their continued commitment to protecting people’s first amendment rights."
