COLUMBUS – Hundreds of people gathered in downtown Columbus Sunday for a fourth straight day of protests yesterday over the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis a week ago and the rally was reportedly uneventful for the most part.
The Columbus Dispatch and WBNS 10-TV reported that police in riot gear used pepper spray and fired wooden and rubber bullets to a crowd of protesters who were blocking the intersection of Broad and High streets in the evening.
The city was under a curfew for the second night in a row and National Guard troops were stationed at key downtown intersections.
While there were numerous videos and photos online and on media outlets of demonstrators and officers holding discussions and officers in some locations kneeling in solidarity with the demonstrators, there were also images of police using pepper spray and tear gas to disperse crowds and those images have caused many people in Columbus and in the rest of the country to question whether tough police tactics against demonstrators are actually making the violence worse rather than quelling it.
“Today, I saw with my own eyes that 99 percent of protesters were just trying to make their voices heard, while some individuals in the crowd were attempting to take advantage of the situation. I also saw police going too far, and that’s unacceptable. The time for commissions and studies is over. The time to institute real police reform is now,” Columbus City Council President Shannon Hardin wrote in a statement.
Hardin, along with Congresswoman Joyce Beatty and Franklin County Commissioner Kevin Boyce were all seen on video being doused with pepper spray during Saturday’s demonstration.
Hardin and other local officials are calling for the formation of a Citizen Review Board to oversee the Division of Police.
“We have all seen images that cause us to question whether our police officers are responding as expected. While we believe the overwhelming response by our officers has been measured and restrained, if we are asking for peace and patience of protestors, we must demand the same from our police. When they do not meet our expectations, we will investigate and hold them accountable,” Mayor Andrew Ginther said.
A review commission would have to be included in a future contract between the city and the Fraternal Order of Police, Hardin said.
“We must form a Civilian Review Commission, greatly expand de-escalation training including the use of non-aggressive tactics during nonviolent protest, adopt tighter restrictions on officer use of force, and implement the recommendations of the members of the Community Safety Advisory Commission,” council president pro-tem Elizabeth Brown said.
“We have not listened or acted with the urgency our communities of color deserve,” City Attorney Zach Klein said. “Perhaps the first, best step towards building legitimate trust is owning our shortcomings, our mistakes, and our ability to use positions of public trust to ensure equitable justice for all.”
As protests gripped the nation, some police action has been directed against people smashing windows, breaking into stores and burning cars, but many find other instances more difficult to understand — like the elderly man knocked over by police as he walked with a cane on a Salt Lake City sidewalk.
Atlanta’s mayor says two police officers have been fired and three others placed on desk duty over excessive use of force during a weekend protest incident. Now,