By FARNOUSH AMIRI Report for America/Associated Press
The city of Columbus on Tuesday prohibited police use of tear gas and limited use of pepper spray to clear streets and disperse peaceful demonstrators following weeks of global protests over the death of George Floyd.
Mayor Andrew Ginther issued the directive while announcing that an advisory panel is being formed to maintain oversight and create transparency into police operations.
The change comes as police departments across the country grapple with criticism of tactics used against Black Americans and the demonstrators who protest on their behalf. Social media videos showed Columbus police disperse tear gas and pepper spray on hundreds of demonstrators and even a sitting congresswoman in the past few weeks.
“This new policy will stop unnecessary confrontations between police officers and peaceful” protesters, Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein said in a news release.
The police department will be briefed on what the new policy means, and additional changes might be made, Ginther said in a news release.
Columbus was among a number of Ohio cities where residents took to the streets following the death of Floyd, a black man who died on Memorial Day after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee on the back of his neck even after he became unconscious. The weeks of civil unrest and peaceful protests across America have once again brought up the contentious topic of police reform and oversight.
Ginther hopes the city’s Chief Advisory Panel, comprised of community stakeholders, will reform public safety through a variety of initiatives, including a civilian review board and independent investigations into police-involved shootings. “This is not just a commission or committee that will sit idly by,” Ginther said.
In addition to calls for police reform, protesters around the country have demanded the removal of prominent Confederate monuments.
In Ohio, few monuments of that stature stand but the state capital, as well as other institutions, are named after Christopher Columbus. There has long been debate across the nation over Columbus’ legacy. Some value his historical contributions as an explorer, and others contest he is a symbol of the conquest and subjugation of indigenous people.
On Tuesday, Columbus State Community College announced it will be dismantling the statue of Columbus that has been displayed on its downtown campus since 1988.
“In taking this action, we are being mindful of societal change and forward movement,” Columbus State Board of Trustees President Anthony Joseph said. “We do not seek to erase history, but to make an intentional shift in what we visibly honor and celebrate as an institution.
Last week, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced the removal of the prominent statue honoring former Confederate general Robert E. Lee, a decision that is now facing several lawsuits.
File Photo – In this June 2, 2020 file photo, demonstrators march past the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio, protesting the death of George Floyd, who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on Memorial Day, May 25. Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther announced Tuesday, June 16, 2020 that police will be prohibited from using tear gas and limited in using pepper to disperse peaceful protests and demonstrations in the city. (AP Photo/Andrew Welsh-Huggins, File)
