Protest organizer Carlos Chaverst Jr. was arrested Tuesday night when he and a group of 30 to 40 others showed up to demonstrate at the Hoover Public Safety Center.

Hoover police and Jefferson County sheriff’s deputies, joined by Vestavia Hills police, took the 25-year-old Chaverst into custody about 7:30 p.m., just moments after their protest started outside the Hoover City Jail. Chaverst had bonded out by 8 p.m.

Chaverst had four outstanding warrants – three for disorderly conduct and loitering. It wasn’t immediately clear which protests the disorderly conduct charges stem from, but the loitering charge came from wearing a mask in public at the Dec. 6 protest at Renaissance Ross Bridge.

Carlos Chaverst Jr.

This is the fifth arrest of protesters, who have been demanding release of video showing the Nov. 22 death of Emantic Fitzgerald “EJ” Bradford Jr. at the hands of a Hoover police officer inside the Riverchase Galleria. They also are demanding the arrest of the officer who fired the fatal shots.

City and police officials have not identified the officer, who is on paid leave pending investigations by the State Bureau of Investigation as well as an internal probe to determine whether the officer followed department policy and procedure.

Since Bradford’s death, multiple protests have been held in Hoover -- including the Galleria, outside Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato’s home, Sam’s Club, Walmart, Buffalo Wild Wings and on Interstate 459, where protests briefly shut down traffic at the Interstate 65 interchange. Last Thursday night, a group of about 60 took their protest to Ross Bridge and later the YMCA on Highway 150 at South Shades Crest Road.

Hoover officials on Friday said two Ross Bridge security guards were injured during the Thursday-night protests. One suffered an arm injury when the protesters entered the hotel lobby, the other suffered a knee injury when he was knocked down as protesters entered a stairwell. No charges have yet been filed in connection with those reported injuries. Chaverst had vehemently denied that any protesters injured the security guards.

Tuesday night’s arrest of Chaverst was not his first during a protest.

In December 2017, the activist was arrested while protesting the Birmingham Water Works Board. That warrant, however, stemmed from an outstanding warrant for obstruction of justice from Fairfield, protesting an incident in that city involving a police officer. The warrant was issued for him after he failed to appear in court.

Chaverst was initially arrested in April 2017 following a meeting with Fairfield Police Chief Nick Dyer after multiple videos shared on social media showed an officer strike a resident at a gas station. After the meeting with Dyer, Chaverst said they were asked to leave while questioning officers in order to get more information about the gas station incident. An argument started between Chaverst and the officers. He was then arrested for obstructing government operations, and released after about two hours in police custody and paying a $1,000 bond.

Efforts to determine the disposition of the Fairfield case weren’t immediately successful.

As Chaverst was being handcuffed, he repeatedly said, “I’m not resisting.” An officer told him, “This isn’t your first time to be arrested.”

The protest is continuing. This story will be updated as more information becomes available.