TAMPA, Fla. — For a number of Tampa protesters, Independence Day ended in handcuffs.

Seven demonstrators were arrested after police said the group blocked traffic along Dale Mabry Highway.

Saturday's protests came to a messy end after a group of about 40 protestors met in the Walmart parking lot near I-275 before making their way towards Spruce Street.

That's when police said the group blocked traffic and where the unrest started.

Traffic was blocked for about an hour as the crowd grew to about 100 people, with vehicles driving through and around the protest.

When officers made the first arrest, they say the crowd got agitated and moved toward officers, according to police.

That led officers to fire off pepper spray to disperse the crowd and make additional arrests.

Police say two cars were damaged in the process.