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Hundreds Gather To Protest, March in Downtown Dayton

Protesters leave Riverscape Pavilion and prepare to march to Courthouse Square.
April Laissle
Protesters leave Riverscape Pavilion and prepare to march to Courthouse Square.

Hundreds of protesters gathered in Downtown Dayton on Sunday afternoon in response to violence last week in Minnesota, Louisiana, and Texas.

Protesters leave Riverscape Pavilion and prepare to march to Courthouse Square.
Credit April Laissle
Protesters leave Riverscape Pavilion and prepare to march to Courthouse Square.

The event, which was part of the Black Lives Matters movement, began with a prayer for peace under the pavilion atRiverscape Metropark.

Protesters then flooded the streets of the city to march to Courthouse Square. Some held hands as they chanted "Hands up, don't Shoot!" and "No justice, no peace."Brian Freeman says he came to voice to his concerns.

“Black males dying due to gun violence especially at the hands of police is the great social injustice of our time," said Freeman. "It’s important that we speak out against it in a civilized manner and an organized effort.”

 

The event was organized by Bowling Green State University Student Keila Hall, who says she worked with the police to ensure the event was peaceful.

Protesters march through the streets of Downtown Dayton.
Credit April Laissle
Protesters march through the streets of Downtown Dayton.

 “Today I got the call that they were going to help us clear the roadways. I was going to do this all on the sidewalks to keep it legal, but they came and supported us and that’s all I ever wanted," said Hall. "I wanted our police department to join with us. That’s my biggest goal here.”

Dayton Police officials say no arrests were made during the rally.

 

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April Laissle is a graduate of Ohio University and comes to WYSO from WOUB Public Media in Athens, Ohio where she worked as a weekend host and reporter. There, she reported on everything from food insecurity to 4-H chicken competitions. April interned at KQED Public Radio in San Francisco, where she focused on health reporting. She also worked on The Broad Experience, a New-York based podcast about women and workplace issues. In her spare time, April loves traveling, trying new recipes and binge-listening to podcasts. April is a Florida native and has been adjusting to Ohio weather since 2011.