Firefighters battle blazes as Columbus curfew takes effect
As a citywide curfew was set to take effect on Saturday night, flames were seen in multiple locations across Columbus.
Construction pallets and at least one piece of construction equipment on fire on Oak Street in Downtown and a fire was reported in the Short North around 9:45 p.m. Saturday.
>> UPDATE: ‘Suspicious’ fire damages Downtown apartment building site
Mayor Andrew J. Ginther imposed a 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew, taking effect Saturday night and continuing daily until the unrest that began Thursday night has subsided.
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Ginther made the announcement at a press conference at which Governor Mike DeWine ordered the Ohio National Guard to come to Downtown Columbus to assist Columbus police in quelling the protests.
Saturday marked the third day in which protests around the death of George Floyd, who died May 23 in Minneapolis while in police custody, turned into agitated demonstrations and riots. A former Minneapolis police officer has been arrested and charged with murder, and there are calls for criminal charges against the other three officers who were also fired.
The protests began around 10 a.m. Saturday at the Statehouse and appeared peaceful for a time. Around 1:30 p.m. Saturday, the city declared an emergency Downtown and asked those who did not have business in the area to avoid Downtown.
Downtown streets were closed to all non-emergency traffic at 6 p.m. Saturday.
Throughout Saturday afternoon, protesters were shouting at police, occasionally throwing water bottles. On multiple occasions, police deployed pepper spray and tear gas to disperse the crowds.
Some among the crowd, a few carrying signs saying “First Aid” then rushed in to provide milk and water to those who had been sprayed. They also provided water bottles to protesters and provided band-aids to some who were hit by wooden or rubber pellets fired by police.
Around 7 p.m., many of the protesters appeared to break up into smaller groups and going in different directions. A small group of protesters, about 100 people, remained near the intersection of East Broad and High Streets around 9:30 p.m. The intersection has been the epicenter of many of the demonstrations.
The curfew, which went into effect at 10 p.m. and has some exemptions for law enforcement, fire and medical personnel, people traveling to and from work, those seeking care, fleeing from dangerous circumstances and the media.
“This curfew is not intended to stifle peaceful protest, but protect from those who seek to use this moment … to destroy our city,” Ginther said.
DeWine stressed that a small number of people have been perpetrating the violence and vandalism that necessitated this action.
“This violence must stop,” DeWine said. “I understand that people have pent-up rage. I understand that we are living in very uncertain times right now in this country. In these times of uncertainty and these times of division, we must call upon the better angels of our nature.”
“We do this today so that love and kindness and compassion and peace can triumph over hate and violence,” DeWine said.
Ginther said later in a prepared release that he understands “the anger and frustration that has led to these protests -- and I share them. Racism, discrimination, and injustice have led us to this moment. I want to assure our residents we are making real change and are committed to confronting racism where we see it.
“But at this moment some people are intent on causing chaos and destruction,” he said, “not on creating positive change in our community and threaten to drown out the voice of demanding justice and our collective safety.”
Columbus Police Chief Thomas Quinlan said the protesters concerned about racism deserve to be heard, but they’re being drowned out by the people breaking windows in buildings and pushing back against police.
“Enough,” he said.
The move to bring in the National Guard comes as Columbus police officers have been ordered to work 12-hour or longer shifts. Additional officers have been called in and vacations or scheduled days off canceled to bring more officers to the city.
Franklin County sheriff’s deputies have also been assisting the city, at times leaving coverage in their areas extremely thin. On Saturday, officers from departments across the county were providing support in Columbus.
Quinlan said the city’s response to the protests and demonstrations will cost “hundreds of thousands of dollars” in overtime. He said there have been about “a dozen” arrests, as of 5 p.m. Saturday, that have been made ranging from riot to vandalism and other charges.
At least five police officers were reported injured Friday night alone as protesters have thrown full water bottles, rocks, fireworks and other objects at police. Police have responded in large numbers with riot gear, SWAT armored vehicles, the mounted horse patrol, pepper spray, rubber and wooden projectiles and flash-bang canisters.
Around 1:30 p.m. Saturday, the city issued an emergency declaration for Downtown and said everyone should avoid the area.
This came in light of face-offs between protesters and police. About 2,000 people showed up for Saturday’s protest. While most of the protesters, who were of every race and age, demonstrated peacefully, some pushed back on police trying to clear them from the streets.
Police used pepper spray to disperse the crowd.
“There’s a contingent of people in the crowd, not the people seeking redress over discrimination and racism,” Quinlan said. “People seeking to exploit this opportunity to violently protest and damage businesses – beyond repair in some cases.”
Quinlan and Ginther both said there is evidence and intelligence police have gathered that there are demonstrators within the group from outside the community and are increasing their presence within the protests, turning them violent.
“Lives are on the line and its important that we bring an end to this,” Quinlan said, urging another form of dialogue to focus on the issues of racism and discrimination.
Quinlan said there was evidence that a firearms store was looted and multiple firearms were stolen.
Saturday’s daytime protest followed a tense Friday night between police and several hundred protesters.
Around 10 p.m. Friday, an emergency was declared and police told demonstrators they needed to leave the area. Groups of protesters then scattered, breaking windows of businesses Downtown and in the Short North for the second straight night. There were also those who spray-painted buildings and windows.
bbruner@dispatch.com
@bethany_bruner