2 arrests made during otherwise peaceful protest on Marco Island

About 100 protesters gathered Wednesday night at the Marco Island Police Department. They said they just want to be heard, and the police chief told them they’re listening.

“We want to be the best police department we can for you, and that’s why we are here … that’s why we are listening,” said Chief Tracy Frazzano.

Even though the protest was mostly peaceful, a fight broke out and two people were taken into custody.

Some protesters said they felt they weren’t being heard, despite the chief’s reassurances.

“They are just standing there laughing at us. We’re trying to be serious, we want our voices to be heard, but they’re standing there laughing at us,” said Pierre Sylvester.

Others standing by were proud of the protesters for the way they started out the evening, but they said it could have gone differently.

“They just could have handled this better,” said Rose Kriverscheck.

“They came in nice, they even stood on the street … but if you got something to say, there’s a time and a place to say it, there’s a right way to say it and a wrong way to say it.”

Everyone agreed on the ultimate goal.

“This world would be so amazing if we just loved one another and came together as one … like God created us,” said a protester named “King.”

The two people who were arrested were later identified by Marco Island police as Taliya M. Denham, 22, of Chicago, and Steven W. Peterson, 30, of Marco Island.

Denham faces a charge of robbery by sudden snatching, while Peterson is charged with open carry of a firearm.