There's a Riot Goin' On

For the second time in two days, I have nearly missed a run-in with protestors downtown.

For those of you who don't live in Cincinnati (or don't follow the news), a little background: a 19-year-old African-American named Timothy Thomas was shot and killed by a white police officer Saturday night. Yes, Mr. Thomas did have a criminal record (14 misdemeanors) and was wanted for failure to appear in court. The police spotted him; he ran.

What happened after that point is anyone's guess. The officer who shot him says that he thought he saw a gun, but no weapons were found at the scene. Police officers are trained to fire their weapons only when they fear for their lives. How does a fleeing suspect with no weapon pose a threat upon the pursuing officer's life?

The real problem here is that this isn't an isolated incident. There have been 15 deaths at the hands of the Cincinnati Police since 1995; all of them have been African-Americans. Coming on the heels of a recently passed law to stop racial profiling, things haven't looked good for the local peacekeepers 'round here. And tensions have been flaring.

Last night after work, I decided to stop by the Warehouse to say hello to a few people and watch a bit of big time wrestling (an occasional guilty pleasure - don't ask). I got there about 9:30 pm, about an hour after a group of 100 protestors marched up Vine Street. I wouldn't have known anything if Zappagirl hadn't called to see if I was OK. (The protestors had moved to a different area of downtown by then.)

A second protest took place this afternoon, passing by my building a few minutes after I got back from lunch. Windows were broken, the hot dog cart outside my building was turned over, rocks and bottles were thrown. Police followed close behind in riot gear with bean bag guns.

My mother called me (as well as my sister, who was much closer to the action, since her office is right on Fountain Square) to make sure everything was OK, and to warn me to take an alternate route home, since I usually drive up Vine Street to get back to my apartment. I reassured her that I was fine, and the excitement had died down, and I would find a safe way home.

I can't make a judgement as to what happened on Saturday night. I wasn't there; I wasn't a witness. There are a few things about this situation that tick me off, though.

I'm upset that there apparently does seem to be something stinky going on in the ranks of Cincinnati's Finest. I'm not going to say all cops are bad, but I'm sure as hell not going to say all cops are good. There does appear to be some discrimination going on here. The neighborhood Mr. Thomas was shot in is a sticking point for me as well. I worked in that neighborhood for seven years. I'm talking a block away, folks. That area of Over the Rhine is considered a "high-crime area," yet the only police I saw down there on a regular basis were the duty officers the Warehouse or the Ensemble Theater hired on weekends. Two blocks east of Vine Street, however, is Main Street - the Entertainment District. The area is well lit, well patroled, and crammed full of trendy bars. I've very seldom even been panhandled on Main Street; on Vine Street it's pretty much a nightly occurence. A few years ago, Main Street looked just like Vine Street. Why did it get singled out for the spit shine and added safety precautions?

The part that really irritates me, though, is the fact that I am now forced to be afraid to be downtown. I try very much not to judge people based on color, gender, religion, sexual preference, or whatever small-minded people use as measuring sticks these days. I had little fear going anywhere alone. (I'm not saying I was walking down dark alleys nightly with a big wad of cash in my pocket, but you know what I mean.) But now with the latest goings-on, I'm a little nervous about walking to my car after dark. I'm not too jazzed on the idea of driving separately to the bars if we choose to go out downtown. All because I'm white, and might be targeted because of my skin pigment in light (no pun intended) of the recent racial tension. Stupid. I went through this before during the L.A. riots - things were a little tense in Clifton that week, if I recall.

I'm not saying that Mr. Thomas was a complete victim in this situation. I'm not saying that the entire Cincinnati Police force is corrupt or prejudiced. There are infinite shades of gray here that the public will never know. All I'm saying is just because I'm the same color as the police officer that pulled the trigger doesn't mean I'd do the same. Coming after me or destroying someone's property isn't going to make the situation any better. I don't know what will, but I doubt the answer lies in flipping over hot dog carts and lobbing cans of Hawaiian Punch at bar owners.

The victim's mother is in agreement at this point, and is pleading for non-violent protest if people feel it necessary to take action.

Damnit people, as much as I hate to use such a hackneyed phrase...can't we all just get along?