Akron police and Summit County Sheriff’s deputies used chemical irritants and pepper spray to disperse a protest along Copley Road about 8:10 p.m. Wednesday after declaring the march to be an unlawful assembly.
The police action took place while at least 100 people and numerous vehicles took part in the march protesting the police shooting death of Jayland Walker. Protesters had blocked traffic at a few intersections for as long as 15 minutes.
After moving through Walker’s neighborhood where he grew up as a child, the crowd arrived in front of the Copley Road Family Dollar, where they stopped for a time before moving on.
Shortly afterward, a line of police vehicles descended on the protesters near East Avenue, prompting some protesters to crowd the officers. That’s when a chemical irritant and pepper spray were used by police and deputies.
At that time, some protesters threw water bottles, bricks and rocks. Many participants began clearing out after the chemical spray was deployed. The acrid cloud hung in the air, slowly drifting toward the crowd, carried by a light breeze.
Late Wednesday, Akron police Lt. Michael Miller in a text message that he was told, “at the height of the incident, there were up to 70 cars on East Avenue at Copley, curb to curb.” He also was told “unknown subjects were throwing bricks, bottles and rocks at police.”
Miller was not aware of any arrests, but confirmed pepper spray and a chemical irritant were used. He said more information would be released Thursday.
Also later Wednesday, the Downtown Akron Partnership announced several downtown road closures in addition to the protest zone along High Street. No reason was announced, nor were the closures listed on akronupdates.com.
“A temporary closure of Main St., High St., and Broadway from Mill St. to State St. and Bowery Street west to Quaker St. is in effect at this time. The closure is temporary and should be reduced to the established demonstration area in the morning,” the statement said.
Miller also said he’d also heard reports of crowds and reckless driving in Highland Square, including, “vehicle and motorcycle doing donuts and wheelies and driving reverse of traffic and creating general disturbances.”
The march began with about a dozen people around 6 p.m. at Hawkins Plaza and proceeded north up South Hawkins Avenue to Copley Road. Numerous people and vehicles joined along the way.
A special grand jury on Monday ruled eight Akron officers were justified in the death of Walker, sparking new outrage and protests in the community.
Walker, 25, was fatally shot more than 40 times on June 27, 2022, after a car and foot chase for an equipment violation. He was unarmed during the shooting, but police said he fired a shot from his vehicle less than a minute into the chase. A handgun was found in his vehicle.
Quiet beginnings
Wednesday evening’s march was the first to be organized by members of the Walker family. Demetrius Travis Sr., Jayland Walker’s cousin, said his cousin, Alexis Walker, felt compelled to arrange it. A spokesperson for Pamela Walker, Jayland Walker’s mother, said she did not sponsor the march.
Alexis declined to speak with a reporter.
“Over the last 9 months, she didn’t know what she could do,” he said. “Today, she decided to get up and use her voice, but she knew I was involved, and the people I deal with, so she utilized her big cousin.”
Wednesday’s march was an effort to affect change, Travis said.
The group, comprised of men, women and children, set out down South Hawkins Avenue, blocking traffic, and headed north toward Copley Road. A column of honking vehicles formed up behind the marchers who held up fists and signs as they went.
At the intersection of South Hawkins Avenue and Bellvue Avenue, a man was stopped, watching the marchers pass and holding his fist out the window.
The man was William Dancy, who said demonstrations such as these send the message that people are fed up with a system in dire need of change.
“This is to let them know that we’re ready for change, we’re not going to allow this to keep going on,” Dancy said.
Upon reaching the intersection of South Hawkins Avenue and Copley Road, protesters stopped, cars from the convoy circling up around them. There they stayed for roughly 15 minutes, chanting and taking a break to drink water distributed by other marchers before moving up Copley Road.
