One arrested at peaceful “No Kings” protest in Nashville

(This story has been updated.)

Metro Nashville Police officers arrested a masked counter protester carrying what appeared to be a handgun and a “Don’t Tread on Me” flag at the “No Kings” protest at Bicentennial Park during Saturday’s “No Kings” protest in Nashville.

No shots were fired.

Kase Cosgrove, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and safety volunteer attending the protest, said he approached the man after other protesters told him the man was armed and spitting and shoving people while walking through the crowd.

Cosgrove said he walked toward the man, later identified as 19-year-old Elijah Miller of Murfreesboro, and saw him tapping on what appeared to be a handgun and pulling it out of its holster to show people he was armed. Cosgrove approached him and attempted to talk to him but three police officers quickly arrived, retrieved the weapon and put the man in handcuffs.

Cosgrove said the protest — part of a nationwide protest against the Trump administration — has been peaceful and fittingly musical, being in Music City.

Thousands of people attended the protest, lining the sidewalks along Jefferson Street and Rosa Parks Blvd. and walking through Bicentennial Park after a brief gathering at the park’s amphitheater. Cheers, musical instruments and car horns echoed up and down the street.

Protesters ranged in age from young adults to the elderly, and many people brought children and dogs.

“Everybody else is being chill,” said Cosgrove. ”  . . . He was trying to cause problems.”

Protesters yelled at the man as police put him into an MNPD golf cart. Cosgrove was among them, shouting, “You got tread on!”

The man, still masked, responded by showing the crowd his middle finger.

As police drove away protesters turned toward the officers and said, “thank you for keeping us safe.”