BEVERLY HILLS— On Friday night, June 26, at least two dozen protesters were arrested on charges of unlawful assembly in Beverly Hills. An additional protester was charged on suspicion of arson after an outbreak of a fire.

The demonstration is among many others that have emerged in the wake of George Floyd’s murder. According to the BHPD, it started around 7:30 p.m. and ended at 1:10 a.m. after it was declared unlawful.

On June 13, the city of Beverly Hills banned nighttime gatherings of 10 or more people in residential areas. Silent assemblies, like candlelight vigils and gatherings on private property, are exempt from this order.

During Friday’s protest, music was played throughout the streets and many chanted “No justice, no peace.” Before the arrests, a sonic weapon device was used, the Long Range Acoustic Device. It emits a warning tone higher than the human threshold of pain.

Protesters played Michael Jackson’s “They Don’t Care About Us” as LRAD was deployed by the BHPD. Video courtesy of @Myrcella via Twitter.

The protesters were still in custody as of Saturday morning, June 27, with a bail set at $5,000.

“[The arrestees] are here at our station being processed. Once they are processed, they can be cited out. With 28 people, it’s just taking a while,” explained Beverly Hills Police Sgt. Thomas West to City News Service.

The National Lawyers Guild of Los Angeles has called for the BHPD to release the protesters. In a statement, the association stated: “These protesters were lawfully exercising the rights we all enjoy under the First Amendment. Their continued detention is punitive and places their health and safety in danger.”