Police not expecting big protests at Bank of America, Duke Energy events

Police aren’t expecting big protests at annual shareholder meetings this week for two major Charlotte companies: Bank of America and Duke Energy.

Unlike years past, the meetings are not being designated “extraordinary events,” a step that bans people from bringing a range of items into a certain area, such as hammers, fireworks and other things that can be used as weapons. The declaration also gives police officers more latitude to stop people who appear to have one of those items.

This year, police do not have credible intelligence about large protests or crowds, said Jeff Estes, deputy chief with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. And Wednesday’s Bank of America meeting is being held at the Charlotte Marriott SouthPark, away from the bank’s traditional uptown location, which is closer to public streets and sidewalks.

Bank of America’s meeting drew the biggest crowd of protesters in 2012 at the height of anger over bank bailouts. Over the years, critics have voiced concerns over everything from foreclosures to the bank’s financing of coal-mining companies.

The Duke Energy gathering, which is being held Thursday in uptown, has been a magnet for environment-related protests in the past. Last year’s meeting was declared an extraordinary event because it coincided with May Day, which can also spur protests, Estes said.

“There’s no guarantee there won’t be large-scale protests,” he said. “But if there are, we will police the best we can in the normal fashion.”

This story was originally published May 4, 2015 at 3:04 PM with the headline "Police not expecting big protests at Bank of America, Duke Energy events."