3 Ferguson Protesters Arrested In Maryland

SALISBURY, Md. (AP) -- Three men protesting the deaths of unarmed black men in New York and Ferguson, Missouri at the hands of police were arrested on Maryland's Eastern shore just as an annual Christmas parade was about to start.

About 50 protesters marched from a middle school to the parade route in Salisbury on Sunday. Some of the protesters then walked into the middle of the road, linked arms and blocked the parade route.

After ignoring police orders to move to the sidewalk, officers wrestled two men to the ground and handcuffed them. A third was handcuffed nearby.

The detained men were identified as James Kelly Fleming, 37, of Baltimore; Jermain Terrell Walker, 40, of Baltimore; and

Brandon Lamont Moore, 22, of Salisbury. Moore and Walker face charges of second-degree assault, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest. Moore also faces charges of disturbing the police and disobeying a lawful order, while Walker is also facing charges of intentionally interfering with another person's arrest, and obstructing and hindering.

Fleming was charged with disturbing the peace, obstructing and hindering, resisting and intentionally interfering with another person's arrest.

No attorneys were listed for the men in online court records.

Police say an officer and a protester were treated for minor injuries.

The arrests delayed Salisbury's 68th annual Christmas parade for about 15 minutes.

Salisbury Mayor Jim Ireton, who attended the parade, called the decision to hold the protest during the event "in poor taste."

"It was the wrong place and the wrong time," he told The Daily Times.
Protester Steven Bingham told WMDT-TV that societal issues involving race and police relations don't just happen in New York City and Ferguson, Missouri.

"It's just ridiculous and the whole city needs to hear about it," he said. "It's just something that's swept under the rug all the time."

(Copyright 2014 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)