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PROVO — Two more people were charged Monday in connection with a protest in Provo on June 29 that turned violent.
John Sullivan, 25, of Sandy, and Jacob Sala Siolo, 24, of St. George, were each charged in 4th District Court with rioting, a third-degree felony; and criminal mischief, a class B misdemeanor.
On June 29, a group calling itself Back to Blue planned to drive around the Provo Police Department and honk their horns to show support for law enforcement.
Another group planned a counterprotest at the same time and place. On Facebook, its event page was originally titled End Police Brutality but was later changed to Marching for Racial Equality. The Facebook pages listed the event’s hosts as the groups Insurgence, Solidarity for Justice, Salt Lake Equal Rights Movement and the Salt Lake Antifascist Coalition.
Sullivan is part of the Insurgence USA group, according to a police affidavit.
“John Sullivan was an organizer of the protest. He organized the protest without obtaining a permit. He recorded several hours of the protest and in the recordings he is seen kicking vehicles and threatening drivers. Sullivan is also seen directing protesters to block intersections,” the charges state.
During the protest, a 60-year-old Provo man was shot in the elbow after protesters blocked his vehicle.
Jesse Keller Taggart, 33, of Salt Lake City, was charged in 4th District Court with attempted aggravated murder, a first-degree felony, for allegedly shooting the driver.
Sullivan later admitted to police he knew that Taggart was the gunman but failed to report it to authorities, charging documents state.
A second gunman, Bradley Glenn Walters, 29, of Ogden, was charged with rioting and aggravated assault, both third-degree felonies.
Siolo was recorded “throwing water bottles at vehicles, hitting several vehicles with an open fist and yelling at drivers. He is also seen coordinating with protesters to block intersections,” the charges state.
