Central Ohio protests outside of Columbus
HILLIARD, Ohio (WCMH) – For eight days in a row, there have been protests in downtown Columbus in response to George Floyd’s death. Protests are happening in some other communities around central Ohio, too. On Thursday night, there were peaceful protests in both Hilliard and Pickerington. In Hilliard, the protest started at Hilliard Station. Participants […]
HILLIARD, Ohio (WCMH) – For eight days in a row, there have been protests in downtown Columbus in response to George Floyd’s death. Protests are happening in some other communities around central Ohio, too. On Thursday night, there were peaceful protests in both Hilliard and Pickerington.
In Hilliard, the protest started at Hilliard Station. Participants then marched and ended up back at Hilliard Station. Broderick and Daniele Johnson brought their three-year-old daughter, Bellamy. They’ve been bringing her to similar protests in Hilliard the past couple nights.
“To me, it’s about my daughter. She’s really cute right now but at what point does she become a threat to our society? How do we become prepared as parents to teach her?” Daniele Johnson said. “We wanted her to make sure she knows her value, she knows she’s important.”
A similar protest happened in Pickerington on Thursday night around Hill Road North. Hundreds were on the sidewalk shouting various chants and hearing cars honking in return.
“One of the most important parts of protesting is to hold your friends and family accountable,” said Ella Roxey, one of the organizers of the protest in Pickerington. “So, us being out here in the city we live in shows it’s not just Columbus. It’s Pickerington too. It’s all over Ohio.”
Organizers of both protests say they worked with police while setting the demonstrations up. There have also been demonstrations in Gahanna, Upper Arlington, Westerville, Dublin and other central Ohio communities.