Five people charged with misdemeanors after protest at Houston migrant shelter

Photos and videos from Never Again Action, a Jewish activist group, show Houston police standing among protesters sitting in the roadway during a rally at a migrant shelter downtown. Some images show Houston police handcuffing a few protesters. less Photos and videos from Never Again Action, a Jewish activist group, show Houston police standing among protesters sitting in the roadway during a rally at a migrant shelter downtown. Some images show Houston ... more Photo: Courtesy Of Never Again Action Digital Coordinator Photo: Courtesy Of Never Again Action Digital Coordinator Image 1 of / 9 Caption Close Five people charged with misdemeanors after protest at Houston migrant shelter 1 / 9 Back to Gallery

Five people have been charged with a misdemeanor after police said they sat in a roadway blocking traffic during a protest outside a Houston migrant shelter.

Members of the Jewish activist group Never Again Action were arrested during a rally Monday around 7:30 p.m. at the Casa Sunzal facility at 419 Emancipation Avenue, police said.

The protesters were charged with obstructing a highway – a misdemeanor, according to court records.

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Houston Police Assistant Chief Larry Satterwhite said police had to make the arrests Monday after protesters were given numerous opportunities to leave the road.

"It's very unfortunate, because we did everything we could to get them to comply, to get them to leave the street," Satterwhite said. "The thing is we can't block the roadways. We have ambulances that come through here. We have people who are getting home and want to get to their families."

Elizabeth Harberer, co-organizer of the rally at the migrant facility, said the event was peaceful and was a way to "demonstrate with our voices and bodies that we will not stand by as the systemic dehumanization against migrants continues to unfold in our country."

Satterwhite said Houston Police "didn't' want to make any arrests" Monday and that the department "supported first-amendment expression."

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"I understand the passions are very high on this issue and many others frankly because there is all kinds of issues that are protested in the city," he said. "That's our country and it's fantastic but we also have to obey the laws and respect that too."

Satterwhite said no violence broke out, despite the arrests.

Staff writer Julian Gill contributed to this report.

Michelle Iracheta is a digital reporter in Houston. Read her on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, houstonchronicle.com. | michelle.iracheta@chron.com | NEWS WHEN YOU NEED IT: Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message | Sign up for breaking news alerts delivered to your email here.