The following are statements about the death of another African American at the hands of those sworn to protect us and the local and nationwide protests still ongoing.

My message to protesters is simple, will their turn up be a turn out in November?

Adrienne Hood’stragic story is well known and far too common. The mother’s 23-year-old son Henry Green was murdered by Columbus Police in June of 2016.

“The last few days have been emotional roller coaster. I am angry at what I saw, I ask the Lord, “Just how much more are we supposed to take!”

Video obtained by the Free Press from a Thursday, May 28 Columbus protest against the murder of Geroge Floyd in Minneapolis, depicts peaceful demonstrators sitting down facing a phalanx of bicycle cops as officers suddenly begin spraying them in the face without warning. 

WATCH VIDEO HERE: https://youtu.be/AB6LmkmLnUI

The video circulated briefly on Facebook but has been removed by Facebook least four times.

Mainstream news account of the incidents blame the demonstrators for starting a "riot" but witnesses tell the Free Press a different story. The old adage remains true - put police in riot gear, and there will be a riot.

Joe Motil, a former City Council candidate and outspoken critic of the Columbus Police Department states that, “  It really should  come as no surprise that Black America and others who have lost all faith and hope with how police officers continue to avoid being properly prosecuted,  have begun displaying their built up anger with combative  protesting.”

Motil states that,” Here in Columbus and other cities across the country, the media’s attention is once again centered on the actions of protesters and not where it should be.  The media should be questioning city leaders and police chiefs about what they are doing to ensure that rogue police officers shall be properly prosecuted and justice to Black victims and their loved ones will be served.”

Victoria Sadowski is a 26-year-old grad student at OSU who pays $975 in rent and fees for a single bedroom at Heritage Apartments in Grandview, an aging complex where hundreds live.

In comparison to some of the luxury apartments going up around town, Sadowski’s single bedroom is just about average, as long as you ignore the water damage and holes in the wall. 

Sadowski’s part-time job barely covers her monthly expenses – and now this, the pandemic’s grim fallout staring an entire generation of young renters (and many others) in the face.

Sadowski was hoping Heritage Apartments might be #InThisTogether and offer tenants a break. She inquired how they may help loyal tenants. Take several hundred off rent for the next several months, perhaps.

Afterall, Heritage Apartments is owned by Village Green Management Company, which has become one of the nation’s largest privately held apartment companies over its 100-year history.

Thursday, May 28, 12-2pm; Friday, May 29, 3-6pm; Saturday, May 30, 3-5pm; these on-line events require advance registration

World BEYOND War is planning three days of online activities, May 28-30, to talk about nonviolence strategies, to hear from organizers who have successfully shut down weapons expos in their communities, and to learn about viable pathways to convert from a war to peace economy.

Day 1: Thursday, May 28, 12noon-2pm Eastern Time (GMT-4): Mary-Wynne Ashford will kick off #NoWar2020 with a virtual workshop on “Nonviolence Strategies: 101 Solutions to Violence, Terror, and War.” Mary-Wynne is a retired Family Physician, former Co-President of the International Physicians for Prevention of Nuclear War, and former President of Physicians for Global Survival (Canada). Her workshop will address ways that we can use nonviolence principles at the personal, community, and international level. Register here!