Arraignment for several arrests made during annual 4/20 event

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – Several people who were arrested during the annual Smoke Weed in Front of the Binghamton Police Station event earlier this month were arraigned in Binghamton City Court today.

During an event that began at 4:20 p.m. on April 20, the Broome County Sheriff’s Office announced it arrested eight people and the Binghamton Police made an additional six arrests.

Police say some of the participants painted graffiti on public property, others were blocking traffic on Hawley Street, and another is accused of stealing an officer’s body cam.

Many of those arrested are associated with a group of organizations that goes by DAROC, which stands for Divestment, Accountability, Reinvestment in Our Community.

The group says that the graffiti was actually washable spray chalk that they have used at events in the past.

Those arrested and their supporters packed the court at today’s arraignment.

The defendants are given up to six weeks to obtain legal counsel, which DAROC says could be tedious, due to conflicts of interest, such as the arrest of a former Binghamton City Council member.

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