The protest began at about 3 p.m. at the courthouse, and the crowd that numbered about 1,000 people marched through the area and closed down some streets.
The crowd returned to the courthouse at about 5 p.m., and the leaders and organizers of the protest left shortly after. Some continued to linger. By the evening, police had grown their presence and appeared close to a confrontation with the crowd, but shortly after 10 p.m., police returned to their headquarters nearby and let the 20 to 25 protesters remain in the area.
That changed at about 10:45 p.m., when emergency scanner traffic indicated police may have been close to deploying tear gas to disperse the crowd, which had grown, according to our reporter at the scene. Police then deployed the tear gas, according to our reporter, and many in the crowd ran.
Lee Graf, the Springfield police chief, said officials talked to members of the group earlier and told them if they were being peaceful and not affecting traffic, they could stay. But some in the crowd continued to move into the street and police became concerned about safety.
One police captain was “dinged pretty good” in the arm by a rock thrown by the crowd, Graf said. There were no arrests as of 11:30 p.m., he said.
Credit: DaytonDailyNews
Sunday’s event in Springfield was one of many held in cities across the state and the nation following the death of George Floyd in police custody last week.
Floyd’s death has sparked national outrage with some demonstrations turning violent.
Protesters in Springfield as the event began on Sunday afternoon could be heard chanting Floyd’s name as well as “no justice, no peace” and “hands up, don’t shoot.” Organizers say they wanted to provide a space to encourage more peaceful demonstrations.
“We want to encourage those in the community to really rally behind each other and really care for each other regardless of what our neighbor looks like,” said Dorian Hunter, who helped organize Sunday’s event.
The demonstration was not organized by a specific community group, but instead started with several young people who grew up in Springfield.
“We wanted to show that we are just tired of repeatedly seeing the same images of black lives being taken on TV,” said Hunter, who graduated from Springfield High School in 2014. “We are understanding that the statistical evidence behind that shows that African-Americans are more likely to have violent interactions with law enforcement.
“We just want to do what we can to raise awareness. To show everybody that we are equal and in the same playing field as everyone else."
What started with several hundred people gathering outside of the courthouse turned into a march that that continued through downtown Springfield.
State Rep. Kyle Koehler, R-Springfield, was in the crowd outside the courthouse and said “it’s important to listen.”
“The camera often shifts to the violence instead of the real injustice,” Koehler said, referring to demonstrations that have turned violent in Dayton, Columbus and Cincinnati, which he said takes away from what happened to Floyd.
“It is important to refocus on what we should focusing on, which is racism,” he said.
Representatives of the Springfield Unit of the NAACP also were in attendance. Its president, Denise Williams, said that people are tired of continuing to go through a cycle of injustice and advocated for more marches and peaceful demonstrations.
More people joined as protesters took to the streets and blocked traffic in some areas before continuing on to several streets in the downtown area, including crossing the Spring Street overpass.
During a pause in the march, Hunter addressed the crowd and said that “we are all in it for the same call. We all are. Look at where we are at. Springfield is united. When is the last time that you seen this many people together all together for a positive statement?”
Some demonstrators followed the crowd in cars, honking and holding signs. Other motorists came to a standstill or cautiously passed those that marched in the center of the street.
The march ended back at the courthouse at about 5 p.m., where some lingered. There will be a vigil held Monday in memory of George Floyd on the Springfield City Hall Plaza.
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