SWAMPSCOTT — A Lynn man was arrested after a scuffle with radio talk show personality Dianna Ploss during the weekly Black Lives Matter/Blue Lives Matter demonstrations on Humphrey Street Thursday.
Police said the man, Lynn’s Nathan Dinnall, 39, of 104 Newhall St., tried to take Ploss’ digital camera that she was using to stream the demonstration over the internet.
Though there have been incidents and criminal complaints lodged against people from one side or the other, this was the first actual arrest stemming from the demonstrations since they began in the spring, Swampscott Police Detective Sgt. Jay Locke said.
According to Locke, Dinnall approached Ploss, who leads the President Donald Trump faction of the Blue Lives Matter demonstrators. According to a video of the incident, in which Ploss is clearly visible, the two got into a heated, profanity-laced verbal altercation.
“He took offense to some of her past statements,” said Locke.
“Several officers doing a security detail engaged him,” Locke said. “He was quite unruly. It took a few minutes to get him handcuffed and under control.”
Dinnall, a BLM protester, was arraigned Thursday afternoon in Lynn District Court on charges of unarmed robbery, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and destruction of property.
Also, said Locke, Ploss reported she was hurt in the scuffle with the suspect, and she was taken to Salem Hospital for observation.
Ploss was arrested two weeks ago in Plymouth during a demonstration.
Locke said the Swampscott Police Department has made every effort since the tension in these demonstrations began to ramp up to keep their heads and calm things down.
“We’ve had some criminal complaints, and there has been some tension there, but we do our best to de-escalate,” he said. “This is the first time we’ve actually had to arrest someone.”
Tension during the dueling demonstrations, which began in the spring, began to escalate as the presidential election drew closer. Since the site of the demonstrations is close to the Hadley School, students’ parents hung blankets next to the protesters to muffle the noise. Two weeks ago, the school switched to 100 percent remote learning so they wouldn’t have to listen to the demonstrations.
The Swampscott Select Board also issued a statement two weeks ago asking for respect and calm from demonstrators on both sides.
