Pro-Palestinian protestors arrested, charged for interfering with HPD officer
HOUSTON - Three protesters for Al-Quds Day were arrested in Houston and charged with interfering with an officer's arrest.
On Friday, Sammy Omar Homsi, 26, Obinna Obinna Dennar, 27, and Mohammed Hisam Nabulsi, 31, were charged with misdemeanor interference with duties of a public servant in Harris County.
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The three men were attending an Al-Quds Day rally and march at the intersection of Westheimer Road and Post Oak Boulevard near the Galleria. Al-Quds Day, or Quds Day, is observed annually on the last Friday of the Islamic month of Ramadan and is a day of global protest to spread awareness and call for the liberation of Palestine.
According to authorities, the group was told to stay on the sidewalk as they were on McCue, walking towards West Alabama Street. Homsi allegedly got on the roadway and refused to get back on the sidewalk after he was told to do so.
Law enforcement attempted to arrest Homsi, but Dennar and Nabulsi interfered and tried to stop them.
As a result, all three men were arrested and taken to Harris County Jail. A few protesters stood outside the jail to demand their release and finally disbursed around 1 a.m. on Saturday.