Contentious Tower Theatre protest ends with order to disperse, arrest of woman

A woman who allegedly spit in the face of a Fresno police officer was arrested Sunday after a struggle near the Tower Theatre, ending a morning of the latest dueling protests over the future of the city landmark.

The woman, 33, was not immediately identified, but Dez Martinez, a Fresno homeless advocate, said the woman was from Portland, Oregon, and was in the city to support the local group. Martinez said the church treats the city’s homeless unfairly, and had recently ejected a homeless woman who tried to attend services.

Police, however, said the arrested woman was from Rancho Cordova.

The homeless advocates early Sunday set up tents in front of the theater to join protests staged by the Save the Tower Theatre Demonstration Committee, which opposes control of the venue by Adventure Church. The tents were quickly removed by police on the advice of a city attorney to prevent confrontations. Four people were arrested and issued citations for putting them up, said Captain Rob Beckwith.

The arrests capped a contentious morning as police attempted to separate those who support the politically conservative church from opponents who say it does not represent the diverse Tower District and its LBGTQ community.

All four corners of the Olive and Wishon intersection were filled during the demonstration, with church members in front of the building, homeless advocates on the southwest corner, those who oppose the church’s control on the northeast corner, and church supporters on the southeast corner. There were roughly a couple of hundred people in all.

Beckwith said the arrest took place after an officer witnessed the woman kick someone. When officers contacted the woman, Beckwith said, she cursed an officer and spit in his face. She was briefly taken to the ground before she was handcuffed and hustled to a police vehicle. Just moments before, Beckwith had declared the protest over, and ordered everyone to disperse in the interest of public safety.

Charges against the woman included assault and battery, resisting arrest and assaulting a peace officer.

Martinez, the homeless advocate, said the police “put us in a dangerous position,” by directing her group to the southwest corner, because that put them close to the church supporters, who she said included members of the right wing Proud Boys group. She contended church supporters crossed Wishon Avenue to confront her group.

Beckwith said officers were stationed so that would not happen and if it did, “it was not something we were freely allowing.” He added that officers were escorting people to prevent confrontations.

On the eve of the Sunday protest, members of the Save the Tower Theatre Demonstration Committee said the group, which opposes Adventure Church, was facing “right wing” threats of physical attacks and death threats from those intent on ending the weekly protests.

The committee press release cited Josh Fulfer as a “right wing agitator” and a person behind some of the threats.

Fulfer, who was videotaping at the protests, denied the allegation, and said he was there to keep those who set up tents in front of the church from harassing churchgoers.

Beckwith said police would investigate any threats “if they are brought to our attention.”

This story was originally published September 5, 2021 at 3:44 PM.