Demonstrator attacks police horse during ACT for America rally in Harrisburg
06/12/2017 1:26 pm PDT
By Valerie Waltz, WPMT
HARRISBURG, Pa. -- (WPMT) -- A Philadelphia woman is facing charges after she attacked a police horse with a flag pole during a demonstration in Harrisburg on Saturday morning.
Lisa Simon, 23, is charged with aggravated assault, illegal to taunt police animal, prohibited offensive weapons, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and obstruction administrative law. She was arraigned and taken to Dauphin County Prison in lieu of $100,000 bail.
The incident unfolded during a demonstration at the Pennsylvania State Capitol Complex in Harrisburg shortly after 11:30 a.m. on Saturday. The demonstration was part of “March Against Sharia,” sponsored by ACT for America, which the Southern Poverty Law Center designates as an anti-Muslim hate group. The demonstration was scheduled to take place in more than 20 cities, including New York, Dallas and Atlanta, and was projected to be ACT for America's largest protest against Islam.
During the rally, multiple mounted Pennsylvania State Police Troopers and Harrisburg Police assisted with crowd control as demonstrators moved from the steps of the Capitol throughout the midtown area.
Simon attacked the horse with a flag pole as a Trooper and his equine partner, Sampson, were attempting to move the crowd along the 1200 block of North 6th Street, police said. The flag pole had a silver nail at the top and Simon hit Sampson in the side of his neck, according to police reports.
Police took Simon into custody and she resisted, records show.
Sampson suffered minimal injuries and was able to continue working.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 6.
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