Four charged with disorderly conduct at Donald Trump rally in KC

Kansas City police have issued citations for disorderly conduct to four people who were arrested Saturday night at a rally for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, a department spokesman said Monday.

Ticketed were Kendrick Washington, 22, of Chicago; Alexander Fisher, 20, of Overland Park; Shane Stange, 28, of Kansas City; and Megan Gallant, 37, of Kansas City.

Gallant, an artist, also was charged with littering. She has denied the allegations.

In a Facebook post, she wrote that she was passing through the crowd outside the Midland theater when a woman near her threw a bottle and police arrested her by mistake.

“We deny that Ms. Gallant threw the water bottle,” said Rick Johnson, a Kansas City lawyer who is representing Gallant.

“She was misidentified by police, and presently we are beginning our investigation, looking for video evidence related to the matter,” Johnson said. He added that Gallant was just passing through the area and not participating in the protest.

Police officials said they were pleased that no one was injured during the demonstrations, Capt. Tye Grant said.

Officers used pepper spray twice, both times when protesters tried to step into the street, Grant said.

“When that occurred, we tried to get them back where they are supposed to be, and within the law,” Grant said. “When they chose not to do that, that’s when pepper spray was used.”

Grant said he found a video Sunday night that showed protesters planning and organizing before the event and moving through the police barricades.

“Their evidence is even better than ours,” he said.

Grant said he also found a page on the GoFundMe online fundraising site that solicited money to pay bonds for protesters. The page, which was published before Saturday night, suggests that the protesters planned to get arrested, Grant said.

“If that’s what they want, we’ll oblige them,” he said.

An individual who pushed a Kansas City mounted patrol horse is not in custody.

Grant said the department reviewed officers’ response.

“We debrief on about everything that occurs in Kansas City,” Grant said. “We put a lot of money and time and effort into training and preparing our officers.

“It turned out great. Nobody was injured. No property was damaged. From that standpoint, it turned out well.”

The Big 12 Conference men’s basketball tournament, being held in the Sprint Center a few blocks east of the Midland , was not affected by the Trump rally, Grant said.

This story was originally published March 14, 2016 at 5:38 PM with the headline "Four charged with disorderly conduct at Donald Trump rally in KC."