Phoenix police arrest 4 on assault charges at downtown protest

PHOENIX – Police in Phoenix arrested four protesters Sunday during a civil rights march at the department’s downtown headquarters.

Charges against Richard Callan, Ryan Tice, Brandon Valentin and Suvarna Ratnam included aggravated assault on an officer, resisting arrest and unlawful assembly, police said in an email Monday.

They were booked into the Maricopa County Jail.

Two men taken into custody, Valentin, 26, and Ryan Tice, 22, were spotted in a car near Sixth Avenue and Monroe Street around 7 p.m.

Each was wanted in connection to alleged assaults on officers during previous protests against the law enforcement-related deaths of George Floyd and Dion Johnson.

Sgt. Tommy Thompson told KTAR News 92.3 FM recognized Valentin behind the wheel and pulled over the car near Sixth Avenue and Monroe Street. Police said they found two handguns inside.

Callan, 40, was also being sought for crimes he was accused of committing during a previous protest.

Police said when they recognized him in the march from Second Avenue and Washington Street to Sixth Avenue and Washington, he ran.

He was caught near First Avenue and Adams Street.

Police said Ratnam, 25, threw a water bottle at a patrol unit then swung an umbrella as officers approached her. One of them suffered a cut to the hand, Thompson said.

The protest was mostly peaceful. No property was damaged, police said.

KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Jeremy Foster contributed to this report.

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