Demonstrators hold “Justice for Jayland” indications as they collect outdoors Akron City Hall to object the killing of Jayland Walker, shot by cops, in Akron, Ohio, July 3, 2022.
Matthew Hatcher|Afp|Getty Images
Officials on Monday set a 9 p.m. curfew for downtown Akron, Ohio, and canceled a fireworks display in the wake of demonstrations over the cops killing of Black driver Jayland Walker.
Mayor Dan Horrigan stated the action was required due to the danger of violence and residential or commercial property damage in the northeast Ohio city’s downtown district.
Police on Sunday launched officers’ body cam video footage of the June 27 shooting and Horrigan applauded protesters for their preliminary “peaceful” presentation that “did not escalate to violence and destruction.”
“However, as night fell and others began to join, the protests became no longer peaceful,” he stated in a declaration. “There was significant property damage done to downtown Akron.”
The mayor stated small companies up and down Main Street were harmed and the city “cannot and will not tolerate the destruction of property or violence.”
“In light of the damage that has occurred and in order to preserve peace in our community, I have declared a state of emergency, implemented a curfew and canceled the fireworks which were scheduled for tonight,” Horrigan included.
Downtown Akron is now based on a curfew in between 9 p.m. Monday and 6 a.m. Tuesday, according to the mayor’s executive order.
The curfew location is surrounded by State Route 59 (likewise referred to as Perkins Street and Martin Luther KingJr Boulevard) on the north, Interstates 76 and 77 on the south, State Route 8 on the east and Martin Luther KingJr Boulevard on the west.
Fourth of July fireworks which had actually been set up for downtown Akron, at the Patterson Park Sports Complex, and at the Akron Fulton Airport were canceled.
Eight policeman, now on administrative leave, shot Walker after he leapt out of moving vehicle, authorities stated.
The officers supposedly fired lots of shots and Walker’s liked ones have actually questioned why such frustrating lethal force was utilized. A weapon was discovered in Walker’s vehicle however not on his body when officers fired the barrage of deadly shots, cops stated.
