Skip to main content

Cleveland crowd protests over boy shot by police


Associated Press  By MARK GILLISPIE
CLEVELAND (AP) — Several hundred people marched down an exit ramp and temporarily blocked rush-hour traffic on a busy freeway on Tuesday while protesting a police officer's fatal shooting of a 12-year-old boy who had brandished a realistic-looking novelty gun.

Police diverted traffic but didn't take action against the protesters, who chanted phrases such as "Hands up, don't shoot" and "No justice, no peace" as they sat in a major intersection before marching past City Hall and onto state Route 2.

The protesters were demonstrating after the death of Tamir Rice, who was shot Saturday when police responded to a 911 call about a gun at a playground. Police later determined Tamir had an airsoft gun, which typically shoots tiny plastic pellets, but it was missing its orange safety indicator.

The demonstration came as protesters across the country blasted a grand jury's decision not to indict a white police officer who killed an unarmed black teenager in Ferguson, Missouri.

Cleveland police Chief Calvin Williams was observing and conferring with officers about the local protest but declined to immediately comment.

The crowd blocked the freeway for about an hour before returning to a downtown square, where it dispersed. The demonstrators passed by the Cuyahoga County jail, causing inmates to bang on their windows.


Among the protesters was 17-year-old Naesha Pierce, who said she had stayed up until 3 a.m. watching television news coverage from Ferguson, where people marched in streets, destroyed police cars and set businesses on fire.

"The system wasn't made to protect us," she said. "To get justice, the people themselves have to be justice."

The crowd included people of various races and groups of students from at least three area colleges.

"This is the way our democracy is supposed to work, to come out and express your opinions," Mike Brickner, senior policy director for ACLU of Cleveland, said as the protesters demonstrated near Public Square.

Attorneys for Tamir's family have asked police to release the complete surveillance video of the confrontation between him and the officer.

Police allowed the family's attorneys to watch the video on Monday and said they would release video footage on Wednesday. Officials noted that the video is considered evidence and said they wanted to be sensitive to the family, the community and the officer, whom they described as distraught.

Police say Tamir was told to raise his hands but pulled what appeared to be a handgun from his waistband. Police say the video is clear, but they wouldn't discuss details of what it shows.

___

Associated Press writers Ann Sanner and Kantele Franko in Columbus contributed to this report.



YAHOO NEWS

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

ART– AN EYE INTO ANOTHER WORLD

For some reason, I have always been a fan of the arts. The ability to create something from nothing, the ability to bring to life what was once but only a figment of one’s imagination to me, is to dare to rival the gods, if you believe in them. I consider the artist to be a gift to man to constantly remind him that he is possible of anything! This piece is more of a show than tell as I am certain that it would not be proper to write an article on art and tell more words than I show works. I have therefore had to steal from a friend, a classmate and most of all, a talented artist as I, myself, am not so gifted as to put up my works for display but still, I shall humour you eventually with my rendition of a popular cartoon that you may recognise if you grew up watching ‘Looney Tones’. Nevertheless, gift is not a necessity to appreciate beauty and the plethora of magna opera (The many great works). Mr Joshua Zirigbe (9β) is a Nigerian from Delta State and he has given us the opportunit...

THE FIRE ON 23 ROAD – FESTAC, LAGOS

A fire outbreak occured on 23 Road in Festac on Saturday the 14th, February, 2015 which is the popular Valentine's day. Jouleconcept's correspondent, Mr Juwah Awele covered the story and gave a report in form of an article about the occurrence. This can be read below: “There is fire in house 2! There were children locked inside the house…” those were the words of my elderly neighbour, Mrs A, returning from the scene of some ongoing tragedy. Immediately, my mother went for all our official documents she always keeps in a ready to go bag while, my father, brother and I set off in the direction of the blaze. On getting to the front of the close, T Close, we observed the residents of the first few houses on the left hastily withdrawing their belongings from their homes; stuffing generators, plasma TVs, gas cylinders and the works into the back seat of their cars. Some had already driven their cars away! Immediately, we realised the fire was coming from the next cl...

Voucher Charity (2)

Over the months, we've had a lot of discouragements here and there; but we stood by our vision. After the end of the 2nd month of the blogging, we have been able to acquire over 10,000 views: Thanks to you! Because of this, Jouleconcepts and its crew are pleased to inform the start of a voucher charity for its viewers. We have only had supports in the U.S.A for sharing free air time online. Thanks to Mr GbadamosiOluphisayor Temitope ( lives in the United State) for his kind support in making this blog touch not just its local country, but the citizen of the United States of America.. We can not forget the presence of the well wishers of the Jouleconcepts and particularly, GINA LONDON for her impact on the vision also. Jouleconcepts says thanks, God bless the blog, the viewers and the World at large..   Nigerian Airtime  Glo   235 873 233 158 434 Etisalat 91108 15796 74652 curtsey Jouleconcepts Please to show that this cards are valid from ...