ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) —
A video circulating on social media shows a little more of what happened when a fight broke out at a seminar at West Asheville Library last weekend.
A video posted on Facebook and Instagram shows part of the events leading up to the fight and part of the fight at the seminar titled “Strategic Lessons from the Palestinian Resistance” on Saturday, June 29.
According to Buncombe County officials, Another Carolina Anarchist Bookfair reserved a meeting room at the library for an unspecified workshop.
“During the event above, the staff librarian, who was not in the meeting room was alerted to a disturbance and called 911,” a news release from the county said.
In the video, which appeared to be shot from the back of the room, people can be heard telling others that someone was live streaming the workshop. The video was then intermittently blocked as several attendees changed seats to obstruct the view of the person shooting the video.
While several people at the workshop can be heard saying they did not want to be on video, another person can be heard asking, “What do you have to hide?”
Minutes later, the scuffle broke out.
ONE PERSON FACES CHARGES AFTER REPORTED ASSAULT AT ANARCHIST EVENT
Asheville police and emergency services responded. A news release from the Asheville Police Department said officers responded to reports of fighting just before 3 p.m. Police said “between 80 and 100 people were attending the seminar.”
When officers arrived, the crowd was dispersing, the news release said. Three victims reported an altercation had taken place followed by an assault while they were live-streaming the event on social media.
“The victims told officers another attendee forcefully took one of their cell phones, after which a large crowd proceeded to attack and assault them,” the news release said. “The victims suffered minor injuries and were checked out by EMS.”
Taylor Danielle Zarkin, 35, was charged with two counts of resisting, delay and obstruct. A spokesperson for the police department told 828newsNOW these charges “were in relation to her interaction with officers.”
On Tuesday, Buncombe County officials issued a statement addressing statements that the arrested person’s employer is Asheville Public Library System.
“To clarify, this person is not and has never been a Buncombe County employee,” the county said in its news release.
Buncombe County Public Libraries makes Library meeting rooms available to groups, organizations and businesses as part of the library’s mission to support the educational, cultural and civic activities of the community, the news release said.
“Our meeting room policies are not intended to control the content of programs or events held in the meeting rooms, but to set basic terms and conditions for the use of the facilities. The facilities are available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs, or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use,” the news release continued. Persons attending programs and meetings are subject to all provisions of the Library’s Rules of Conduct, and use of the meeting rooms does not constitute an endorsement of the program or organization by the Library or Buncombe County.
“Buncombe County Public Libraries do not condone violence or hate crimes in any way, and leadership is actively working with Asheville Police Department.”
Police said they are continuing to investigate the matter and an APD spokesperson said there is the possibility for more charges to be filed.
On Tuesday afternoon, police released photos of a “person of interest,” asking for the public’s help to identify the person.
Anyone with information regarding the incident or identification of the person of interest is asked to contact Asheville Police at 828-252-1110. You can also submit an anonymous tip using the TIP2APD smartphone application (search “Asheville PD” in your app store) or by texting TIP2APD to 847411.