Florida man with loaded gun arrested at protest after throwing projectile at chief, police say

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A Florida man with a loaded gun was arrested at a demonstration Wednesday after throwing a projectile at a police chief, authorities said.

The incident unfolded after police asked a group of protesters to stay on the sidewalk near First Avenue North in St. Petersburg to open the road to traffic, the St. Petersburg Police Department said.

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A demonstrator then threw “a projectile” at Police Chief Anthony Holloway and a major. Police did not say what type of object was thrown.

When officers took the suspect into custody, a loaded pistol was discovered in his waistband, police said. The department tweeted a photo of the pistol, a loaded magazine and a single bullet placed on the table.

No further details were released.

It marked the latest incident to occur during peaceful protesting in St. Petersburg.

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Police arrested nearly two dozen protesters Tuesday night after some demonstrators were setting off large incendiary devices as they were walking.

One protester, whom police identified as 26-year-old Omar Scott, was discovered with a backpack full of “mortar” fireworks.

He was charged with three counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, inciting a riot and resisting an officer without violence.

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A day earlier, three people were arrested after police said they found items used to make “Molotov Cocktails,” including a gasoline container, glass bottles, bricks, a bag of large rocks and a metal pipe, inside a van connected to the demonstrators.