AKRON, Ohio — New body camera video shows the confrontational Jayland Walker protest in Akron where police used pepper spray and tear gas on marchers.
Days after the protest, the city was banned by a federal court order from using chemical irritants on non-violent protesters.
It wasn’t until over the weekend that police released video to show how the protest took a bad turn for officers.
On April 19, a line of officers walked up behind protesters in the middle of Copley Road.
“Water, water,” you hear officers yell.
Water bottles thrown from the crowd skid across the pavement.
Police Chief Steve Mylett said one bottle hit a deputy’s head.
Pepper spray appears to be the immediate reaction by police.
“Alright, they’re starting to throw bottles, if you need to spray, spray 'em,” an officer said.
Minutes later, you see officers put on gas masks.
“This is your final warning — clear the streets, chemical munitions will be deployed,” an officer can be heard saying on the video.
A different video released by police gives the perspective from above, showing traffic curb-to-curb. Police say it would have prevented officers, medics and fire crews from getting by.
“I think we’re going to have to deploy munitions down at Copley and East. They just gathered down there. It will be a push until we get them to disperse,” an officer said.
Further down the street, you see smoke rising.
“They’re throwing rocks ya’ll,” one officer said.
Two days earlier, a grand jury declined to indict eight officers for killing Jayland Walker.
After the protest last Wednesday, the Akron Bail Fund filed a federal civil lawsuit and motion for a temporary restraining order against the city.
Last Friday, the city signed a joint stipulated order banning it and other agencies working for it from using things like pepper spray and tear gas on non-violent protesters to get them to leave city streets. The order expires at the end of the first week of May.
News 5 again wanted to know what Chief Steve Mylett says about this. We’ve been asking to talk with him since the protest last Wednesday. On Saturday, Akron police posted the chief’s video message and some body camera video, but provided no opportunity to ask questions.
On Sunday, police said the chief had a family situation in Columbus and would try to schedule something for Monday, but he was not available as of Monday afternoon.
“I’m happy that it’s under review,” said Kalfani Ture, an assistant professor and former police officer from Mount Saint Mary’s University in Maryland who reviewed the body camera footage.
“There were expletives thrown at the officers; there were objects thrown at the officers,” Ture said.
He says there was a need for police to restore order, but questions if there could have been a better way.
“I think they could have waited a bit; they could have redirected traffic. I'm not sure the tear gas was the best decision,” Ture said.
In the chief’s video message, he said officers gave orders for the crowd to leave before using chemical irritants and that police stayed out of the way for close to two hours.
“These types of events are to be expected. People are frustrated and we haven't quite figured out how to improve not just in Akron but in the nation at large how to improve police and community relations,” Ture said.
U.S. Representative Emilia Sykes sent a letter to the Department of Justice urging the launch of an investigation into the patterns and practices of Akron police.
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