PORTLAND, Maine (AP) – Police in Maine’s largest city say they stationed officers on downtown rooftops during recent protests because they learned armed counter-demonstrators planned to attend.

Portland Police Commander James Sweatt said on Wednesday the officers were stationed on the rooftops to protect protesters during last week’s Black Lives Matter demonstrations.

He said the counter-demonstrators were intercepted before they arrived to the scene. Demonstrators had posed questions about why police appeared to be conducting surveillance from rooftops.