Protest Reports
I was truly overwhelmed with the enthusiasm and passion and energy shown by everyone at the rally at Battelle on Jan. 22, the day of the Entry Into Force of the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. These omnicidal weapons are now being stigmatized – as evidenced by Battelle trying to distance themselves from their involvement in nuclear weapons research and development. We were there quite a long time, well over 2 hours! Here is a link to Paul Becker’s photos of the rally on Flickr.
Ralph Orr Facebook writeup and photos of Battelle rally are posted under Resources for Protests.
The United Front Against the Far-Right and Capitalist System! march and rally on Inauguration Day started at City Hall then marched across High Street to the Ohio Statehouse. The Ohio Highway State Patrol and the National Guard had the building surrounded with man (and woman) power along with Humvees and patrol vehicles. As speeches were made the "security detail" stared but did not flinch. Signs read “Black Lives Matter” and “We don’t want Biden, we want revenge!” The demonstrators encouraged people to continue the fight against the far right and fascism.
A fundamentalist Christian church from Hebron (Ohio) with a history of stirring up trouble and worshiping Trump converged on Serpent Mound over the weekend to protest its annual Winter Solstice celebration, seeking to “pray down” the “demon” pagans who gather at the effigy mound.
Hard to fathom it could get any more embarrassing for the state of Ohio, but the church group ended up confronting several Native Americans in attendance, telling them “this land will be taken in the name of Jesus.”
In a video circulated by the evangelicals, American Indian Movement of Ohio director Phillip Yenyo responded, saying, “This land was already taken a long time ago. You people keep taking it.”
Yenyo tried to block them from getting close to Serpent Mound, but the large church group forced their way to North America’s most recognizable effigy mound where they walked on the mound – a terrible insult to Native Americans, akin to someone stomping on your relatives’ graves.
Serpent Mound was built by Native Americans anywhere from 15,000 to 2,000 years ago say experts who still differ on what culture built it and for what purpose.
Today, many people are feeling discouraged at the state of relations with law enforcement. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the most common reason a person has an encounter with the police is in a traffic stop – and traffic stops sometimes require prolonged one-on-one contact between citizens and law enforcement. It is important to know your rights and how to respond to officerswhen you are stopped or approached, especially in common interactions like traffic stops.
You Have the Right to Remain Silent
Under the Fifth Amendment, you do not have to answer an officer’s questions during a traffic stop beyond requests for your license, registration and proof of insurance. You do not have to answer any questions about where you are going, what you are doing or where you live. If you plan to exercise your right to remain silent, be sure to say so out loud.
Police Lieutenant Melissa McFadden got done walking the “thin black line” and took a great leap of faith into the abyss of justice. Imagine if you can demonstrators going directly to police headquarters on the National Day of Protest to Stop Police Brutality. Bravely the lead speaker steps to the mic and screams “No Justice!” We know the reply. “No Peace!” She chants “Black Lives Matter!” But then she does the big reveal. She just finished her workday at police headquarters. And, by the way, she is the highest-ranking black woman in the department. A 24-year veteran of the force.
The October 22 rally at the Columbus Police Department on Marconi Boulevard in downtown Columbus was dedicated to supporting McFadden who is under fire for the revelations in her new book “Walking the Thin Black Line: Confronting Racism in the Columbus Division of Police.”
The Heartbeatmovement called the rally to make a show of community support for McFadden, who has reported she’s been threatened and harassed since the book was published. About fifty people gathered with signs reading #StandwithMelissaMcFadden and Black Lives Matter.
The bridge across the Olentangy River between Columbus City Hall and the Ohio Supreme Court building was filled with demonstrators demanding that Ruth Bader Ginsberg's dying wish be granted: that the confirmation of a new US Supreme Court Judge to replace her wouldn't happen until after the 2020 election results are finalized. People held signs Saturday afternoon (October 17) at the downtown intersection that read: "Ruth, Justice, and the American Way," "Keep Abortion Legal," "Stop Racism Now," "Let's All Tweet - Hold the Seat!," "Stop the War on Women," and "Hey GOP - Our Country called and wants our Democracy back!" There were lots of supportive car horns honking throughout the demonstration.
For sixteen days, Julius Tate’s family will honor his sixteen years of life by marching for justice. They began September 2nd and will continue through September 17th.
On the eighth day of the protests, September 10th, the family and community members marched from the King Arts Complex to Mt. Vernon and Champion Ave where Tate was executed by Columbus Police.
Amidst all of the uprisings occurring across the country, Tate’s family wants to make sure Columbus doesn’t forget the excessive police brutality happening in our own city. According to the official autopsy, Tate was sixteen when he was shot eleven times, handcuffed, and killed.
This information contradicts the story that CPD put out, in which they claim to have only shot him five times. Rather than being held accountable for the murder he alleges he committed, CPD Officer Eric Richards was awarded later in 2019 for SWAT Officer of the Year.
Pint Size Protesters was created to give kids and their families a safe space in the Black Lives Matter movement, but also to support families with resources and opportunities to learn and grow so that we can truly bring about change. Our mission is to organize, educate, and demonstrate with the goal of hosting monthly educational and family friendly protest activities.
We formed in early July and were invited to participate in Worthington’s “Why We March” rally where we staged a protest that was well received by the community! This month, we kick off official Pint Size Protesters events with a lesson in racism featuring the book A Kids Book About Racism by Jelani Memory and our first protest, which took place in Dublin on 8/15.
Now onto September! With this being a very important election year, we thought it important to focus on voting and building the next generation of voters. Thus Pint Size Protesters presents: “Why Voting Matters” was born:
Date: September 12, 11am - 3pm
Location: The Vanderelli Room (Private Yard Space), 218 McDowell St, Columbus, OH 43215