Remember that skirmish outside an Erika Kirk appearance at the Arkansas Governor’s Mansion two months back that resulted in multiple arrests and criminal charges for protesters, but zero legal consequences for the Turning Point USA supporters caught on camera throwing punches and shoving protesters? The court cases are starting to move along, with a trial date set for July for defendant Olivia Thompson, 49, of Little Rock.

Cases against protesters Jennifer and Finley Hanson, 46 and 19, and Cameron Bone, 24, meanwhile, are awaiting key decisions and court dates. 

You read that right. Despite evidence that this was no one-way altercation, and video suggesting that it was a Turning Point supporter who threw the first punch, only protesters are facing any charges. The altercation took place on March 11 outside the Governor’s Mansion, following an absolute powder keg of an event during which Gov. Sarah Sanders promoted arch-conservative student group Turning Point USA on Arkansas campuses and invited slain far-right activist Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, to speak. 

Ample video footage captured by onlookers showed Turning Point supporter Ron Daniels of Fayetteville walking towards and then throwing a punch at Thompson, who was heckling and filming him and his family on a cellphone as they walked to their car. As more demonstrators approached to intervene, a shoving match ensued between Ron Daniel’s wife, Stephanie, and the anti-Turning Point group. Uniformed Little Rock Police officers and plainclothes troopers from the Arkansas State Police rushed in, pushing protesters to the ground and cuffing four of them, while letting the Daniels go scot-free. 

On Wednesday, April 29, the cases finally started to move, albeit not in the direction justice-minded members of the public might hope. Thompson appeared in Little Rock District Court alongside her attorney, Megan Wilson Lowman of Little Rock criminal defense firm Lassiter & Cassinelli, where a trial date was set for July 9. About 15 to 20 of Thompson’s friends and family were there to support her, filling two benches and gathering outside for further updates.

Thompson still faces a Class A harassment misdemeanor charge, which could fetch up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine, alongside two lesser misdemeanor charges, obstructing governmental operations and disorderly conduct. When asked why the charges haven’t been dropped yet, her attorney said, “I never heard an indication that they were just going to be straight dropped. I would imagine the ASP is probably pursuing this more.”

A longtime activist who often films at protests, Thompson maintained her innocence, pointing to Ron Daniels as the aggressor. Thompson said she plans to seek battery charges against him. 

“I mean, it’s undeniable. She was struck in the face, and it was not any self-defense on the part of Mr. Daniels, as far as I’m concerned,” Wilson Lowman said in a phone call with the Arkansas Times. 

The police report offers a slightly different version of events, alleging that Daniels was “swinging at the phone” and “may have” struck Thompson’s hand, not her face. As of last week, Thompson did not have her cellphone back from the police, which holds more footage of the altercation.

“I didn’t do anything illegal,” Thompson said. “I was, you know, maybe an asshole, but they’re like that to me all the time,” she said. 

Wilson Lowman told the Arkansas Times that if Thompson presses charges against Ron Daniels, a supporter of Gov. Sanders, it will be up to the prosecutor whether to file the charges. The video evidence may give Thompson enough leverage to move her allegations forward. 

“There’s video, and you can see where he clearly struck her, and so I think that she was given some bad advice by some police about not charging, but certainly it would be within the statute of limitations if she wanted to pursue her rights as a victim of Mr. Daniels,” the attorney said. 

It was initially reported that Thompson chose not to pursue assault charges against Ron Daniels. This week, the activist and her attorney shared new details about why she initially made that decision. Wilson Lowman said her client was given “bad legal advice at the scene.” 

Thompson said law enforcement told her at the time of her arrest that she was going to be fingerprinted and released with only the two lesser misdemeanor charges. It was only when she got to the substation that she was informed of the harassment charge, a more serious offense.

“If I’d known I’d had a harassment charge against me before I’d left, I would have probably pressed an assault charge, but I said I wanted to talk to a lawyer,” said Thompson, who spent the next 28 hours behind bars. 

At her hearing last week, Thompson said she’s changing course. “I will be pressing assault charges, absolutely,” she said, to a round of applause. 

Meanwhile, mother-daughter duo Finley and Jennifer Hanson are facing more serious Class D felony charges for allegedly committing battery against state police officers during the altercation. Those charges carry a maximum of six years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000 each if found guilty. During the altercation, Finley was seen rushing into the confrontation when her mother appeared to try to pull her back before the police pushed both women to the ground. The pair declined to comment, as did their attorney, Josh Hale of the James Firm.

The Hansons’ case is in limbo as the prosecutor decides whether to move forward with the felony charges or drop them to a misdemeanor level, Dalton Orsborn of the James Firm explained. This is a critical development, given the severity of the charges. 

Cameron Bone, 24, who wrapped himself around Finley Hanson to prevent her arrest, was charged with three Class C misdemeanors: Resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, and obstructing governmental operations. Bone has yet to be arraigned, and his court date was rescheduled from May 5 to June 11.

When asked if Olivia Thompson had learned anything about how the police handle protests in Arkansas, her friend Courtney Maxwell, 33, responded, “They’re not here for us. That’s what I would say. They’re not here for the state. They’re gonna protect Sarah and her cronies before anyone else.”

We will continue to follow the story as it develops.