Woman arrested while protesting secession rally at SC State House
A woman was arrested at the State House on Sunday while protesting a rally celebrating the 155th anniversary of South Carolina seceding from the Union.
Jatonia Devina Sanford, 27, of Buffalo, N.Y., was charged with public disorderly conduct and simple possession of marijuana, according to the S.C. Department of Public Safety. Sanford accompanied a group that protested the rally, saying it was a white supremacist display. She was arrested after cursing and yelling racial slurs at those who rallied under the S.C. Secession Flag.
Those with the rally said the anniversary should be remembered as a day when South Carolinians stood up against the federal government.
The rally took place at the Confederate monument after a brief battle between the S.C. Secessionist Party and state officials over the party’s right to reserve time and space for the protest. Authorities canceled the group’s reservation amid safety concerns, but reinstated the reservation at Gov. Nikki Haley’s request.
About three dozen people participated in the rally, with about a dozen folks showing up to protest.
Glen Luke Flanagan: 803-771-8305, @glenlflanagan
This story was originally published December 20, 2015 at 3:32 PM with the headline "Woman arrested while protesting secession rally at SC State House."