WAUWATOSA — Wauwatosa Police said most demonstrators followed orders to disperse Saturday night, and a few people who refused were arrested.
On Twitter, the department officials posted and declared it an unlawful assembly at 7:40 p.m. when demonstrators were sitting on the lawn outside City Hall and standing in the street.
Before curfew, several dozen people gathered on the lawn of City Hall for a peace vigil. Many of them said they were gathering because they thought the police presence in Wauwatosa is excessive.
"I think just a massive overreaction on the part of the Wauwatosa Police Department," said Jon Etter. "Yes, people violated the curfew and yes, somebody threw a water bottle at police officers in body armor with riot shields, but I think that the police response was excessive and quite frankly, dangerous."
The parents of Jay Anderson, Jr., were out holding up signs at City Hall lawn before curfew. Anderson was shot and killed by Wauwatosa Police Officer Joseph Mensah back in 2016.
"They turned it into a war zone is what they've done. They don't need no National Guard here. We are peaceful protesters, I don't get it," Jay Anderson, Sr., said.
Around 7 p.m., a group of several dozen met them after marching from Washington Park in Milwaukee.
The group chanted and sang outside City Hall for most of the hour.
After several warnings from police, someone in the group shouted they were going home, and the group marched east on North Avenue.
Wauwatosa Police said a few individuals didn't leave and were given more warnings.
TMJ4 filmed one woman who was standing in the street after the group had left. She could be seen filming a large police line on her phone.
A line of police moved closer to her, and then two unmarked cars with flashing lights came up behind her.
Several officers surrounded her and took her into custody. Some of the officers vests read U.S. Marshal.
TMJ4 could hear the officers telling her she was violating curfew, and she could be heard saying, "Please don't hurt me."
The woman spoke with TMJ4 earlier in the night and said she lives in Milwaukee.
