VIDEO: Fight breaks out during Syria airstrike protest in downtown Jacksonville

Jacksonville, FL — Multiple people have been arrested after a demonstration at Hemming Park in Downtown Jacksonville Friday night became violent.

A large crowd gathered to demonstrate both for and against the recent US missile strikes against a Syrian air base following a deadly chemical attack in the nation. Our partner Action News Jax was there, and caught video of the point where the situation escalated.

We're told the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office had 16 officers throughout Hemming Park, although another dozen arrived when the fight broke out.

The arrest reports show the main organizer- Dan Schneider- led the crowd in chants. A man waiving a Donald Trump flag was in the crowd, and several protesters “aggressed” him by standing in his face, recording him, and following when he would walk away, according to the JSO incident description. Despite that, things were still non-violent.

JSO says when Schneider was done, and unidentified man came up on stage and spoke for a few minutes, and then a third man went on stage and “changed the dynamic of the crowd”. That suspect, identified as Connell Crooms, took the megaphone and spoke about police profiling and targeting of young black men, then yelling expletive statements about police. The arrest report says the man holding the Donald Trump flag and another man with him started yelling pro-police statements on their own megaphone.

The arrest report says an officer saw Crooms “aggressively move” toward the man with the flag and try to take the flag, and the man resisted. An officer got between the two and told Crooms “to remain peaceful, focus on his protest, and continue with what he had to say,” according to the report. Police say Crooms instead tried to attack the man with the flag for a second time.

Officers then moved to arrest Crooms, but police say he violently resisted while yelling he didn’t do anything wrong. An officer “delivered several fist strikes to gain compliance”, and they were eventually able to restrain Crooms and transport him to UF Health for treatment.

Another man, Thomas Beckham, was seen fighting with an officer and resisting arrest He’s further accused of actively trying to fight other protesters. While an officer was kneeling on Beckham and trying to handcuff him, JSO says Christina Kittle pushed him on the chest and yelled not to take Beckham because he wasn’t fighting. Kittle is accused of continually pushing the officer and punching him in the arm, then resisting arrest.

William Wilder is accused of punching an officer in the back and sliding his arm around his neck, while that officer was trying to aide another. The “neck hold” knocked off the officer’s radio. The arrest report says the officer slipped the hold and punched Wilder several times in the face “to gain compliance”- adding that the crowd and lack of space left him with no other option than to fight the suspect off. The officer says he then worked to get out of the crowd with Wilder to prevent injury. Wilder had a folding pocket knife, according to the arrest report.

Officers also decided to detain Schneider- who had organized the initial demonstration- after one heard him talking about leaving. JSO says Schneider crossed the street and left the scene, despite an officer yelling to stop. He was caught up to and arrested.

As some other protesters were walking away, officers saw Robert Sheffield Jr. throw a cup of liquid at a woman. The suspect continued to yell at the woman as he was being detained, according to the arrest report. Police further say Sheffield kept talking about voting for Trump and the woman being a Democrat. Sheffield says he threw the cup because the woman hit him, but the woman left before police could make contact.

The arrest reports note that many of the arrests involved using “takedown” techniques.  Several times they also noted that police were all dressed in uniform and easily identifiable, and that they were giving loud, clear commands to comply.  JSO says anyone with use of force concerns can file a complaint with Internal Affairs.

No officers were injured while breaking up these protesters. One of the men arrested was taken to UF Health for medical treatment.

Those arrested include:

26-year-old Connell Crooms, of Jacksonville, for resisting an officer with violence and rioting or inciting a riot.

26-year-old Thomas Beckham, of Hilliard, for resisting an officer with violence and affray

27-year-old David Schneider, of Jacksonville, for rioting or inciting a riot

27-year-old Christina Kittle, of Middleburg, for battery on a law enforcement officer and rioting or inciting or encouraging a riot.

67-year-old Robert Sheffield Jr, no address listed, for affray

74-year-old William Wilder, of Jacksonville, for battery on a law enforcement officer, depriving an officer of means of protection or communication, armed possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana, use or possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia, and rioting or inciting a riot.