South Carolina chief: Arrest verifies complaint

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The chief of security at the South Carolina Statehouse says officers arrested a protester for defecating on the grounds but couldn’t remember when, and the state’s public safety agency has yet to produce an incident report.

Public urination was one reason Gov. Nikki Haley gave Nov. 16 in ordering Occupy Columbia protesters off Statehouse grounds by 6 p.m.

Neither her office nor the Department of Public Safety has provided documentation or video of the grounds under heavy surveillance to back that up.

Bureau of Protective Services Chief Zackary Wise told reporters Monday night that officers did arrest someone for defecating on the grounds at some point since the protest began in October. The comment represented the first mention of any protester arrested prior to last week’s 19 arrests for trespassing.

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Seanna Adcox contributed to this report.

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Kinnard can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/MegKinnardAP