Several people have been arrested after burning an American flag in a protest outside the Republican National Convention. Protesters claimed police used pepper spray, but the city of Cleveland has disputed that.

Cleveland Police said that two officers were “assaulted” and sustained “minor injuries.”

Flag was set on fire. Cops used pepper spray to break it up. Melee erupted #RNCinCLEpic.twitter.com/K6MGSjKI7L — James Queally (@JamesQueallyLAT) July 20, 2016

Law enforcement and fire officials enforced a “dispersal order,” forcing both demonstrators and reporters to leave the scene, declaring it a crime scene.

Police have walled off the protest near #RNCinCLE entrance. Can't get close. pic.twitter.com/BQ4RuWOZHd — Jonathan Oosting (@jonathanoosting) July 20, 2016

Crime scene tape on E 4th pic.twitter.com/6aYuCGU2Np — Aubrey Whelan (@aubreyjwhelan) July 20, 2016

Cleveland Police Department said in a statement that 22 demonstrators have been arrested during the Republican National Convention so far, including 17 on Wednesday in relation to a flag burning demonstration. Fifteen of them face misdemeanor chares, while two others face felony assault on officer charges.

Protestors refusing dispersal orders, pushing officers. A few arrests E. 4/Prospect — Cleveland Police (@CLEpolice) July 20, 2016

Anti-Trump protesters gathered at Cleveland's Public Square on Wednesday, and around 4:00 p.m., about a dozen protesters put on T-shirts emblazoned with the banner of the Revolutionary Communist Party.

A woman in the group then set a US flag on fire amid chants of "2, 4, 6, 8, America Was Never Great," but moments later, Cleveland police and fire officials moved in with a fire extinguisher.

A protester set a US flag alight, briefly setting himself and others on fire too, the police also said.

RCP are chanting "1,2,3,4 slavery genocide & war" and "5,6,7,8 America was never great" #RNCinCLEpic.twitter.com/JwePHmF0Ey — Nebojsa Malic (@NebojsaMalic) July 20, 2016

A flag went up and you could smell burning. Police pushed further in, started spraying something pic.twitter.com/vhxpBYOmRv — Aubrey Whelan (@aubreyjwhelan) July 20, 2016

Firefighters extinguished and took the flag that protesters attempted to destroy pic.twitter.com/8y63HApqnP — Cleveland Police (@CLEpolice) July 20, 2016

However, reports of police using pepper spray were disputed by the city of Cleveland on Twitter.

@komonews No pepper spray was used. A fire extinguisher was used. #RNCinCLE Follow @CLEpolice for confirmed, real time updates. — City of Cleveland (@CityofCleveland) July 20, 2016

The protest appears to be lead by the Los Angeles Revolution Club. In early July, the club burned a flag to protest the police shooting of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It is a faction of the Revolutionary Communist Party, headed by Carl Dix.