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7 Arrested At St. Paul Anti-Islamic Law Rally & Counter Rally Identified

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The seven people arrested when protests took a violent turn at the State Capitol over the weekend have been identified.

Early Saturday afternoon, the group ACT for America had a permit to rally inside the rotunda against Shariah law, a set of principles that govern the moral and religious lives of Muslims. About 100 people participated.

Outside, there were about 300 counter-protestors.

It's when the two groups met outside that the violence began. Protestors on both sides pointed the finger at the other for instigating the violent outbreaks.

In the end, troopers separated the crowds and made seven arrests, with many protestors on both sides promising they'll be back.

On Monday, the people arrested were identified:

• Drew Albert Cleland, 30, Big Lake, Minn.
• Robert Daniel Horacek, 37, Zimmerman, Minn.
• Nicholas Michael Sullivan Kelley, 18, Nerstrand, Minn.
• Matwell Hunter Lindusky, 18, St. Paul Park, Minn.
• Ian Mathew MacDonell, 27, Minneapolis, Minn.
• John Allen Meyer, 19, St. Cloud, Minn.
• Caleb Emmerson Murphey, 35, Minneapolis, Minn.

Most of the arrestees were arrested on riot charges. Lindusky was arrested on a charge of assaulting a police officer.

On March 4 counter-protestors also came to a rally that was being held inside the capitol in support of President Donald Trump.

Some of the people arrested after that protest are facing criminal charges.

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