Charlotte police ID 8 arrested, released after African cultural event devolved into riot, tractor-trailer fire

Police in Charlotte, North Carolina, have identified the eight people arrested and released after a 10-hour "protest and standoff" that stemmed from an Eritrean "cultural event." 

The Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department on Tuesday released the names of those who were arrested Saturday when officers tried to disperse unlawful crowds of protesters who showed up to a private property and were spilling onto the street. Authorities said officers were attacked by people wielding sticks, rocks and other items, and crowds protesting the African nation of Eritrea's government also set a tractor-trailer on fire in North Carolina's largest city. Police said they seized two firearms over the course of several hours.

Mecklenburg County Jail online records show that the eight people arrested were released from custody anywhere within less than an hour to four hours maximum afterward. 

Nesa Tesfay, 31, was charged with disorderly conduct and failure to disperse in connection to Saturday's standoff. She was previously arrested in May 2022 on charges of communicating threats and violating a protective order, but was released the next day, Mecklenburg County Jail records show. Tesfay was also arrested in November 2021 – and again released the next day – on charges of communicating threats and two counts of simple assault. The status of those cases was not immediately known, but jail records show Tesfay was arrested and released less than an hour later Saturday.  

CHARLOTTE PROTESTERS ATTACK OFFICERS, SET TRACTOR-TRAILER ON FIRE IN RIOT AT ERITREAN 'CULTURAL EVENT': POLICE

From left, Nesa Tesfay, Haile Tsaeda, Gebrehiwot Adhanom and Luwam Tewelde are among the eight arrested in connection to a protest at an Eritrean cultural event in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Mecklenburg County Jail)

Haile Tsaeda, 39, was charged with assault on a government employee and injury to personal property in connection to Saturday's protest. Efrem Michael, 52, was charged with disorderly conduct and failure to disperse. 

From left to right, Weldegiorgis Petros, Semer Keflay, Girmay Dawit and Efrem Michael were among the eight arrested at a Charlotte protest on Saturday.   (Mecklenburg County Jail)

Gebrehiwot Adhanom, 59, was charged with assault on a government employee and resist/delay/obstruct, police said. 

Luwam Tewelde, 37, was charged with carrying a concealed weapon and failure to disperse. 

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Police described how when bike unit officers attempted to move protesters out of the street, several protesters threw objects and pushed back against the officers, who then deployed pepper spray. While multiple protesters and officers were treated on scene for injuries related to the pepper spray, police said a female protester struck an officer, and a firearm was seized from her person. 

On Saturday, police said that female protester had been charged with inciting to riot, failure to disperse, injury to personal property and assault on a government official. 

Charlotte police officers in riot gear responded to a protest at an Eritrean cultural event. (Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department)

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Additionally, Weldegiorgis Petros, 29, was charged with failure to disperse; Semer Keflay, 30, was charged with failure to disperse and "going armed to the terror of the public," and Girmay Dawit, 45, was charged with carrying a concealed weapon, police said on Tuesday.