It too more than 24 hours to arraign 17 people arrested Wednesday after a flag burning protest got out of hand near the Q.
The National Lawyers Guild of Ohio says the court didn’t receive the charging paperwork, causing the delay.
Those taken into police custody are facing numerous charges including failure to disperse and resisting arrest.
Attorney Gordon Friedman working on behalf of the National Lawyers Guild and NAACP says the people charged with misdemeanors should not have spent a night in jail.
"I think there is a policy in the city to detain them as long as they can to keep them off the streets to exercise their first amendment rights," he said.
The ACLU is criticizing the delay. City officials could not be reached for comment.
The Cleveland Municipal Courts have extended hours and several courts dedicated to handling an influx in cases this week.
But as of today only 23 people have been arrested during the Republican National Convention.
