Norman City Councilmember Alex Scott and local activist Ashley Nicole McCray were arrested June 20 in Tulsa after strapping themselves to flagpoles outside the Bank of Oklahoma Center, according to Tulsa Police Department reports.
Before President Donald Trump’s Tulsa rally, Scott strapped herself to an American flag with a nylon strap and climbing equipment, and McCray strapped herself to a flag of Tulsa with cloth and climbing equipment. McCray held a flag that said “invest in Black communities."
Scott and McCray’s feet were off the ground when officers approached them, according to police reports. They continued to climb the flagpoles despite Tulsa officers’ requests for them to stop.
As Scott and McCray ascended the flagpoles, subjects prevented officers from reaching them. Officers eventually made contact when McCray reached chest level and Scott reached shoulder level, according to police reports.
Officers cut Scott and McCray’s cloth and nylon straps and removed them from the flagpoles, according to police reports. Their climbing equipment was unfastened by officers and they were taken into custody at 5:45 p.m. for obstructing and interfering with officers.
McCray and Scott were booked into Tulsa County jail — McCray at 7:22 p.m. and Scott at 7:23 p.m, according to police reports. Their bonds were each set at $500.
McCray was released at 11:21 p.m. and Scott was released at 11:22 p.m. Scott said on Twitter June 21 she was “safe and sound thanks to the Bail Project” — a nonprofit which provides free bail assistance to combat mass incarceration.
We are safe and sound thanks to @bailproject ❤ #BlackLivesMatter#Juneteenth #BlackWallStreet https://t.co/q8aKbZWFzt
— Alex Scott (@RealAlexScott) June 21, 2020
Scott said on Twitter June 22 she will not make any additional statements regarding the events of June 20 until July 1.
On top of threatening voice-mails, messages, and derogatory comments from strangers and random citizens, some news media folks have started getting aggressive with me, attempting to coerce me into making statements.I will not be making any additional statements until 7/1.
— Alex Scott (@RealAlexScott) June 22, 2020
Editor's note: this article was edited at 9:25 a.m. on June 23 to reflect that Scott's and McCray's feet were off the ground when approached by officers.
