NewsPinellas County

Actions

2 men arrested attempting to stop the removal of BLM street mural in St. Pete: Police

st pete police.png
Posted

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — St. Petersburg Police Department (SPPD) said two men were arrested for attempting to block FDOT crews who arrived to paint over the street mural on 9th Avenue South, west of 22nd Street South.

The mural was a Black Lives Matter mural, which was installed in June 2020.

Around 8 p.m. Friday, Andrew Oliver, 49, and Benedict Atherton-Zeman, 59, walked by police officers and sat down on the road attempting to block FDOT machinery, SPPD said.

Police arrested both men after they refused to move.

They were charged with Pedestrian obstructing or hindering traffic and obstruction, officials said.

Lawsuit alleges deputy driving 97 mph without lights and siren killed truck driver

Deputy was speeding to call involving a fight among elementary school students on school bus when black box shows he was driving nearly double the speed limit on busy highway

Lawsuit alleges deputy driving 97 mph without lights and siren killed truck driver