Marine City Police are investigating a Tuesday altercation between local business owners and a group of self-dubbed First Amendment Auditors.
According to a press release, the police department received reports throughout Tuesday, January 6, of a group filming public and private buildings, including local businesses and city facilities. While the group “generally complied with requests to remain on public walkways, an escalation occurred in front of Zimmerman’s Market on Broadway Street.”
What began as a verbal altercation between the group and the market’s owners ended in one of the group members deploying pepper spray against one of the male business owners. Though he was treated by EMS, the business owner was transported to a local hospital as a precaution.
The police department notes that the two involved parties have provided differing accounts regarding if the pepper spray was used in self-defense or as an unprovoked assault. As part of the investigation, the pepper spray was seized, footage of the incident was reviewed, and the group was asked for their footage of the incident.
Upon the investigation’s completion, the file will be forwarded to the St. Clair County Prosecutor’s Office for possible charges.
