City of Bloomington

Police Department

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

________________________________________________________________

For more information, please contact:

Captain Ryan Pedigo
Bloomington Police Department
(812)349-3324
pedigor@bloomington.in.gov

Arrest at Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market

On July 27, 2019 at approximately 10:20 a.m., Bloomington Police Department officers
were requested at the Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market regarding a protestor
who was holding a sign and pacing in front of a vendor booth. Responding officers were
advised by staff from the Parks and Recreation Department, the City Department
responsible for the Farmers’ Market, that they wished for officers to make contact with
the protestor to reiterate their requests that she relocate to a designated area to protest. As
a matter of longstanding practice, pamphleting or displaying signage (aside from
vendors’ promotional materials) is restricted from the vendors’ area, a guideline about
which Parks officials repeatedly informed the protestor.

After denying repeated requests from BPD officers that she relocate, the protestor was
was informed that if she failed to relocate, she would be placed under arrest for Criminal
Trespass. The protestor again stated that she was not willing to move, so she was taken
into custody.

The protestor was transported to the Monroe County Jail without further incident and
remanded to the custody of jail staff for the charge of Criminal Trespass, a class A
misdemeanor.

###