An area in southeast Charlotte has been shut down due to a protest Saturday afternoon.

The incident occurred around noon on private property on the 4300 block of Monroe Road.

According to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, nearly 200 people took part in a civil rights protest in response to a cultural festival.

Monroe Road was then shut down between McAlway Drive and Alliance Drive as orders to disperse were given by police.

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Shortly after 3 p.m., police said protesters who remained in the area were pepper sprayed for blocking the street.

The pepper spray hit a few protesters, as well as a few officers, according to police.

Police said those who were hit with pepper spray were treated at the scene.

The protest was deemed unlawful, according to police.

Channel 9′s Glenn Counts spoke with participants who said there were two groups present.

One of those groups was those who supported the government of the tiny African nation of Eritrea. The other consisted of those who claimed the president of that nation was a brutal dictator.

“A lot of Eritreans, when they come to America, you see them in two groups: they either become law-abiding citizens who are pro-American, pro-justice, and pro-democracy, or they turn into extremists who support a dictator who are anti-American, anti-peace, anti-democracy, and anti-justice,” spokeswoman Helen said. “We love our president; we love our country. We die for our country.”

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Police said four arrests have been made in connection with this incident.

Three men and a woman have been charged with impeding traffic. That same woman has also been charged with inciting a riot, according to police.

This is a developing story with constant updates; check this article for developments.

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