Friday afternoon, the Homewood Police Department arrested six protestors at a Black Lives Matter protest. Approximately 45 minutes after those arrest and further protest, someone “affiliated” with the group is believed to have started a fire in an occupied Homewood Walmart.
According to the Homewood Police Department, “An individual apparently started a fire inside the store intentionally by setting items in a shopping cart on fire.”
The fire triggered the store's alarm system, prompting an evacuation. No injuries were reported, and the Homewood Fire Department successfully extinguished the blaze.
Black Lives Matter protestors have vowed, "will make the city of Homewood uncomfortable as long as they have to." This has included disrupting traffic, businesses, and city council meetings.
In late July the group called for a boycott of the Walmart where the fire was started with Rev. Wayne Taft Harris Jr. of Black Lives Matter telling WVTM 13, "One of the busiest businesses in Homewood happens to be Walmart, and that is definitely filled with people of color who go there to shop with black folk, with brown folk who go there to shop."
Video footage posted to Facebook shows black customers who were in the building during the arson attempt being directed to evacuate.
In early August, four protestors were arrested for blocking traffic and business. According to a WVTM 13 report at the time, Eric Hall, co-founder of Black Lives Matter Birmingham, said, "We decided to block the pumps intentionally, to disrupt the money flow at the Circle K." He promised that more disruptions to businesses were coming.
SEE: Six arrests made as Black Lives Matter continues to disrupt the city of Homewood
As of Saturday, no suspect was in custody. “Initial investigation shows that the suspect appears to be affiliated with the individuals from the disorderly demonstration in downtown Homewood,” according to Homewood police.
“Homewood Police Detectives are working with Walmart to obtain surveillance video and identify the suspect.”
SEE: Jabari Peoples shooting deemed 'justified'; Evidence shows he had gun in hand
RELATED: BLM activist, LGBTQ reverend leading Homewood boycott once defrauded Florida church
Earlier in the day, protestors were urging the boycott of Homewood stores as they continued their demands for police to release to the public the name of the law enforcement officer who acted in self defense in the shooting of Jabari Peoples and the video of his death.
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