SPRINGFIELD — Fifteen people, arrested during a "Black Lives Matter" protest that temporarily blocked traffic at The X on Tuesday afternoon, were released on their own recognizance following their arraignments Wednesday morning in District Court.

All 15 denied charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest and were ordered to return to court for pre-trial hearings next month.

Officers were called to the neighborhood at 2:45 p.m. to monitor a group of over 40 people involved in a protest at Sumner and Belmont avenues, Springfield Police spokesman Sgt. John Delaney said.

Similar protests have been held nationwide in the wake of several high-profile fatal shootings involving white police officers and black crime suspects, leading to a retaliatory shooting that killed two New York police officers less than a week before Christmas.

Fifteen of the protesters were arrested after they locked arms and walked out into the middle of The X, blocking traffic in all directions.

After their arraignments, the 15, accompanied by a number of supporters, met briefly outside the Hampden Hall of Justice with their lawyer, Luke Ryan. After that, several made comments during an impromptu press conference.

"We are here because black lives matter," said Vanessa Lynch, 23, of West Street in Northampton. "We are here to disrupt the normalcy and the fact that black people are dying every day, and it's going on as normal, and everybody can go about their business when these cops are shooting unarmed black children and getting away with it."

"It's about building community and letting people know that all black lives matter," said Shana Nunez, 22, of Beaumont Street in Springfield.

Lynch said such protests will continue in Springfield, in Western Massachusetts "and around the world. We are not going to stop until we have equality."

Also arrested and arraigned were:

* Ashley Gadson, 24, of Wilbraham Road, Springfield;

* Jozlyn M. Squaire, 21, of Newland Street, Springfield;

* Tianna Thomas, 21, of Quincy Street, Springfield;

* Frank Cincotta, 24, of Maple Street, Springfield;

* Kwamel Joselyn, 20, of Euclid Avenue, Springfield;

* George Esworthy, 67, of Ashfield Street, Shelburne Falls;

* George Aguiar, 58, of Three Rivers Road, Palmer;

* Matthew Cohen, 31, of Second Street, Turners Falls;

* Maureen Briggs-Carrington, 63, of X Street, Turners Falls;

* Catherine Woolner, 64, of Limden Avenue, Northfield;

* Emily Douglass, 30, of Second Street, Turners Falls;

* Holly Richardson, 50, of North Main Street, Florence;

* and Ellen Graves, 74, of Plateau Circle, West Springfield.



More coverage of the Black Lives Matter protest at The X:

Springfield police shut down Sumner Avenue as Black Lives Matter activists protest »

Black Lives Matter protesters call police 'pigs' and 'racists' as arrests made in Springfield »

Springfield police arrest 15 people during 'Black Lives Matter' protest at The X »

Video: Demonstrators block the X intersection in Springfield to express anger at police »

Video: Springfield Mayor Sarno reacts to street closing by protesters »