Cincinnati riots of 2001

Last updated
2001 Cincinnati riots
DateApril 9–13, 2001
Location
Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
Caused byShooting of Timothy Thomas
MethodsProtests and acts of civil unrest, vandalism and looting in Over-the-Rhine, downtown, Walnut Hills, Bond Hill, and Avondale.
Resulted inan estimated $3.6 million in damage; [1] an estimated loss of $10 million due to the subsequent boycott; [1] reform of police procedures concerning racial profiling
Parties
Participants
Casualties
Injuriesdozens
Arrested158 in civil disobedience, 800 for curfew violations. [2]

The 2001 Cincinnati riots were a series of civil disorders which took place in and around the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood of downtown Cincinnati, Ohio from April 9 to 13, 2001. They began with a peaceful protest in the heart of the city on Fountain Square over the inadequate police response to the police shooting of unarmed African American 19-year-old Timothy Thomas. The peaceful protest soon turned into a march that went in the direction of the victim's home neighborhood of Over-the-Rhine.

Contents

The period of unrest was sparked after 19-year-old Timothy Thomas, an unarmed African American man, was shot and killed by Cincinnati Police Department Patrolman Stephen Roach during an attempt to arrest him for non-violent misdemeanors, most of which were traffic citations. Tensions were already high in the city following a series of other incidents involving police brutality and racial profiling, including thirteen deaths. Protests erupted into four nights of unrest, with instances of recorded property destruction in Cincinnati, objects thrown at police officers by demonstrators, and vandalism and looting of businesses before a city-imposed curfew eventually ended the unrest.

It was ultimately determined that the period of unrest caused $3.6 million in damage to businesses and another $1.5 to $2 million to the city. A subsequent community boycott of downtown businesses had an estimated adverse impact of $10 million on the area. Incidents of violent crime rose in the downtown area for several years thereafter. The city worked with the community and police to improve training and policies to prevent incidents like that in which Thomas was killed.

Background

The initial incident and much of the subsequent unrest began on Fountain Square in Downtown Cincinnati. Much of the subsequent unrest took place in Over-the-Rhine, the neighborhood of the victim immediately north of Cincinnati's central business district. A 2000 demographic profile of the neighborhood showed a resident population of 7,368, of whom 5,974 were African American. The profile also showed significant poverty, unemployment, and a lack of development in the area for several decades. Some 1,667 of 3,594 housing units, or more than one third, in the neighborhood were vacant. About 96 percent of the occupied houses were renter-occupied. [3] The neighborhood had a concentration of African Americans, who otherwise made up 40 percent overall of the 331,000 residents of the city. At the time of the protests and growing unrest, the median income in Over-the-Rhine was $8,600 compared to $26,774 for the city overall. Author David Waddington attributed the poverty of the area to high unemployment resulting from a loss of manufacturing jobs in the city, as well as cuts in youth programs in the city. The neighborhood had a high rate of crimes, in particular drug-related offenses. [4]

The array of poverty-associated problems resulted in heightened tensions between African-American residents in the neighborhood and the Cincinnati Police Department. [5] [6] Between 1995 and April 2001, fifteen black males suspected of crimes had been killed by Cincinnati police during confrontation or while in custody, including four since November 2000, while no white suspects were killed in that period. [7] [8]

In particular, two recent deaths had sparked tensions: Roger Owensby, Jr. died November 7, 2000, allegedly of asphyxiation from a chokehold from a police officer, and Jeffrey Irons died the next day in a scuffle with police. One of the officers was acquitted, while the other case ended in a mistrial and the officer was not re-tried. [8]

This string of deaths led to claims by the community that the police were acting discriminatorily. Three weeks before the protests and growing unrest, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and a group of local organizations filed a civil lawsuit against the police department and city, alleging 30 years of racial profiling. [7] A number of other civil suits were initiated against the department, including one African-American man who alleged he was handcuffed and beaten during a traffic stop. [8] Bomani Tyehimba filed a lawsuit in 1999 against the city of Cincinnati. He claimed that during a routine traffic stop, police illegally ordered him out of his car, handcuffed him and held a gun to his head. [9]

A local independent newspaper, CityBeat , published research that an "analysis of 141,000 traffic citations written by Cincinnati Police in a 22-month period found black drivers twice as likely as whites to be cited for driving without a license, twice as likely to be cited for not wearing a seat belt and four times as likely to be cited for driving without proof of insurance." [10] The NAACP argued that such statistics were the result of police targeting "driving while black," rather than actual differences in the rate of offenses committed by different groups. [11]

Incident

In little more than two months preceding this incident, Timothy Thomas had received numerous traffic citations: he "was pulled over 11 times by six different white officers and four black officers. They cited Thomas for 21 violations, almost all of them for exactly the same things – not wearing a seat belt or driving without a license." [12]

In the early morning hours of April 7, 2001, Cincinnati police in Over-the-Rhine attempted to arrest the 19-year-old, who was wanted on 14 nonviolent misdemeanor counts, of which 12 were traffic citations. Thomas was pursued for 10 minutes by nine officers, who were later joined by Patrolman Stephen Roach. [2] The pursuit culminated at 2:20 a.m. when Thomas rounded a corner in a dark alley and surprised Roach, who shot him in the chest at close range. [13] Roach said he believed Thomas was reaching for a gun in his waistband, but investigation later determined Thomas was trying to pull up his "baggy pants." [8] Roach also said that he was not aware that charges against Thomas were non-violent, and that Thomas ignored an order to stop. [8] Thomas was rushed to a hospital, but died of his wounds. [2]

Disturbance

The shooting of Thomas sparked widespread outrage in the city, especially in Over-the-Rhine. On April 9, a group of 200 protesters brandishing signs, including Thomas' mother, Angela Leisure, [8] gathered outside Cincinnati City Hall while the city council was in session, to demand public explanation for Thomas' shooting. [2] The protesters also demanded to know the results of the police investigation of the shooting, but were told the department was not ready and was still investigating. [8] The council members stayed inside city hall for three hours and did not respond to the crowd's demands. [2]

Later that evening, several hundred residents gathered outside the Cincinnati Police District 1 headquarters in Over-the-Rhine and confronted a line of police officers on horseback and in police cruisers. For about an hour, the crowd threw stones and bottles at police, smashed the station's front door, pulled the station flag from its mast and re-hung it upside down. Police dispersed the crowd with tear gas, bean bags and rubber bullets. Ten arrests were made during the incident. [2]

Cincinnati Mayor Charles J. Luken issued a citywide curfew that largely ended the period of unrest. Charlie Luken 102nd Congress 1991.jpg
Cincinnati Mayor Charles J. Luken issued a citywide curfew that largely ended the period of unrest.

On the afternoon of April 10, the unrest resumed after a static protest on Fountain Square. Approximately 20 to 30 African-Americans moved through city streets towards Over the Rhine, soon followed by police officers. At two road intersections, the crowd began throwing bottles and garbage at police, who retreated both times. Parts of the crowd headed back downtown, where they began to overturn garbage cans, vendor carts, and newspaper boxes. The crowd began smashing windows of businesses and looting stores. Police moved in on horseback or with linked arms and dispersed the crowd with bean bags, tear gas and rubber bullets. They made sixty-six arrests of protesters over the course of the day. [2] The city called in deputies from the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office to help when looting and vandalism broke out in other poorer neighborhoods in Cincinnati, including Walnut Hills and Avondale, where vandals broke windows and set small fires. [14] Several gunshots were fired during the night, and there were a number of injuries reported in the incidents. Participants in the period of unrest dispersed in the early morning hours. [8]

Many of the damaged downtown businesses resumed normal operations the next day. But, at nightfall on April 11, another interval of unrest broke out downtown as nothing had yet been done in retribution for the killing of Timothy Thomas, and more businesses were damaged and looted. [1] Sporadic incidents continued the next evening, and a police crackdown resulted in another 82 arrests. [2] By April 12, many downtown businesses did not open, and workers for many others refused to go downtown. A third night of unrest continued that evening, causing further damage. [1]

The morning of April 13, Cincinnati Mayor Charles J. Luken announced a citywide curfew from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. for all but work travelers. He also declared a state of emergency and brought in 125 Ohio Highway Patrol troopers to assist with policing. In all, 800 people were arrested for violating curfew conditions. [2] This curfew did not extend to the city's suburbs, prompting some criticism from Cincinnati residents of uneven enforcement of the curfew. [14]

April 14 was the day of Timothy Thomas' funeral. Police kept a helicopter airborne and stationed police two blocks from the service. [4] About 2,000 protesters began a peaceful march downtown following the service. [1] A procession of 30 from the funeral marched to the intersection of Elm and Liberty streets. A group of seven law enforcement personnel arrived in patrol cruisers and fired bean bag ammunition into a crowd of 20, injuring four, including two children. Police contended they were acting under orders to disperse a large crowd blocking the intersection, while witnesses claimed the police did not provide warning and singled out black members of the group. [4]

Aftermath

The total damage sustained from the period of protest and unrest amounted to $3.6 million. [1] In all, the city said 120 businesses experienced damage due to the civil unrest. It cost the city another $1.5 million to $2 million for emergency responders and equipment damage. [15] The four days of protest and unrest are considered the largest urban disturbance in the United States since the 1992 Los Angeles period of unrest. [13] There has been extensive discussion within the local community about the effects of suburbanization and urban decay in the city, [14] as well as the redevelopment of Over-the-Rhine, a historic neighborhood. [16] The incidents again strained the relationship between the police and residents of the city's minority communities. [6] In 2002, the city signed an agreement for initiatives to improve police service to minority communities, revise use-of-force guidelines and form a committee for community policing initiatives. [1]

CPD officers began an unofficial work slowdown, which coincided with a rise in violent crime in the downtown area. [1] In 2001 and 2002, violent crime and property crime rates rose in the city, with property crime rates peaking in 2003 before declining through 2010. [17] The city has a crime rate higher than the national average but similar to other major cities. [18] Initiatives were subsequently begun by community groups to reduce violence. [19]

Sixty-three participants of the protest involved with property destruction and/or violence were indicted on felony charges. [20]

Roach was tried for negligent homicide in September 2001. Cincinnati police attempted to waive the trial in favor of a bench ruling. Roach, who left the force to join a suburban police department, was later acquitted of the charges. Several isolated incidents of civil unrest occurred after his verdict was announced. An internal police investigation found Roach had lied in his incident report, had not followed department firearm procedures, and had not given Thomas sufficient time to respond to his order. [1]

Angered by police reaction, particularly the April 14 incident, several community groups organized a boycott of downtown businesses. Several prominent African-American entertainers scheduled to perform in the city, including Bill Cosby, Whoopi Goldberg, and Smokey Robinson cancelled their performances there. After a year, the community boycott was estimated to have caused a $10 million negative economic impact on the city. [1]

Significant gentrification of the Over the Rhine community began just before and continued after the period of civil unrest, as developers found property values low enough to allow acquisition and redevelopment. A number of tech companies and nightlife spots have opened in the neighborhood. By 2007, several new community events had been organized. [5] [3] Several large Cincinnati companies, including Fifth Third Bank, Procter & Gamble and Kroger, announced support for reforms in the city, such as investment in schools and minority-hiring programs. [21]

Police behavior and protocols were investigated, and changes were made to improve training and interaction with the community. On the ten-year anniversary of the protests and civil unrest, Cincinnati Enquirer reported that "[t]he riots neither initiated the racial tension nor the police reforms, but accelerated both." [22] Among the reforms were the following:

See also

Related Research Articles

The 1991 Washington, D.C., riot, sometimes referred to as the Mount Pleasant riot or Mount Pleasant Disturbance, occurred in May 1991, when rioting broke out in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood of Washington, D.C., in response to an African-American female police officer having shot a Salvadoran man in the chest following a Cinco de Mayo celebration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2005 Toledo riot</span> Clash between neo-Nazi and anti-fascist demonstrators in Ohio

The 2005 Toledo riot, on October 15, 2005, occurred when the National Socialist Movement (NSM), a neo-Nazi organization, planned a march to protest African-American gang activity in the North End of Toledo, in the U.S. state of Ohio. The appearance of the group sparked a four-hour riot by elements within the assembled protesters, and caused a citywide curfew to be implemented for the remainder of the weekend.

The Tompkins Square Park riot occurred on August 6–7, 1988 in Tompkins Square Park, located in the East Village and Alphabet City neighborhoods of Manhattan, New York City. Groups of "drug pushers, homeless people and young people known as squatters and punks," had largely taken over the park. The East Village and Alphabet City communities were divided about what, if anything, should be done about it. The local governing body, Manhattan Community Board 3, recommended, and the New York City Parks Department adopted a 1 a.m. curfew for the previously 24-hour park, in an attempt to bring it under control. On July 31, a protest rally against the curfew saw several clashes between protesters and police.

Louisville, Kentucky experienced three days of rioting in May 1968. As in many other cities around the country, there were unrest and riots partially in response to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., on April 4. On May 27, a group of 400 people, mostly blacks, gathered at 28th and Greenwood Streets, in the Parkland neighborhood. The intersection, and Parkland in general, had recently become an important location for Louisville's black community, as the local NAACP branch had moved its office there.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avondale, Cincinnati</span> Neighborhood of Cincinnati in Hamilton, Ohio, United States

Avondale is one of the 52 neighborhoods of Cincinnati, Ohio. It is home to the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. The population was 11,345 at the 2020 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cincinnati Police Department</span> Law enforcement agency in Ohio, U.S.

The Cincinnati Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency of Cincinnati, Ohio. The department has 1,053 sworn officers and 119 non-sworn employees.

The history of Over-the-Rhine is almost as deep as the history of Cincinnati. Over-the-Rhine's built environment has undergone many cultural and demographic changes. The toponym "Over-the-Rhine" is a reference to the Miami and Erie Canal as the Rhine of Ohio. An early reference to the canal as "the Rhine" appears in the 1853 book White, Red, Black, in which traveler Ferenc Pulszky wrote, "The Germans live all together across the Miami Canal, which is, therefore, here jocosely called the 'Rhine'." In 1875 writer Daniel J. Kenny referred to the area exclusively as "Over the Rhine". He noted, "Germans and Americans alike love to call the district 'Over the Rhine'."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King assassination riots</span> Riots following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.

The King assassination riots, also known as the Holy Week Uprising, were a wave of civil disturbance which swept across the United States following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1968. Some of the biggest riots took place in Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Chicago, and Kansas City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 Baltimore protests</span> Protests against police brutality in Baltimore, Maryland

On April 12, 2015, Baltimore Police Department officers arrested Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old African American resident of Baltimore, Maryland. Gray's neck and spine were injured while he was in a police vehicle and he went into a coma. On April 18, there were protests in front of the Western district police station. Gray died on April 19.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Floyd protests in Columbus, Ohio</span> 2020 civil unrest in Columbus, Ohio after the murder of George Floyd

The George Floyd protests were a series of protests and civil disturbances that initially started in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area of Minnesota, United States, before spreading nationwide. In Columbus, Ohio, unrest began on May 28, 2020, two days after incidents began in Minneapolis. The events were a reaction to the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) officer Derek Chauvin, who knelt on Floyd's neck for over nine minutes, asphyxiating him.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Floyd protests in Ohio</span> 2020 civil unrest after the murder of George Floyd

Beginning on May 28, 2020, a number of cities in Ohio saw protests against the murder of George Floyd. Major cities such as Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Dayton had large protests, and numerous smaller cities and towns saw demonstrations as well. As a result of rioting and looting, a number of cities such as Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Cincinnati and Springfield imposed curfews of varying times.

The George Floyd riots in Chicago were a series of civil disturbances in 2020 in the city of Chicago, Illinois. Unrest in the city began as a response to the murder of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020. The demonstrations and riots, supporting justice for Floyd and protesting police brutality, occurred simultaneously with those of over 100 other cities in the United States. Chicago is among 12 major cities that declared curfews in order to prevent looting and vandalism. On May 31, Mayor Lori Lightfoot asked Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker to send the Illinois National Guard to Chicago for the first time in the 52 years since the 1968 riots in Chicago. The economic damage caused by the disturbances exceeded $66 million.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Floyd protests in Philadelphia</span> 2020 civil unrest after the murder of George Floyd

The George Floyd protests and riots in Philadelphia were a series of protests and riots occurring in the City of Philadelphia. Unrest in the city began as a response to the murder of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020. Numerous protests, rallies and marches took place in Philadelphia in solidarity with protestors in Minneapolis and across the United States. These demonstrations call for justice for Floyd and protest police brutality. After several days of protests and riots, Philadelphia leadership joined other major cities, including Chicago in instituting a curfew, beginning Saturday, May 30, at 8 p.m. The protests concluded on June 23, 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Floyd protests in North Carolina</span> 2020 civil unrest after the murder of George Floyd

This is a list of George Floyd protests in North Carolina, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Minneapolis false rumors riot</span> Unrest after a suicide incident

False rumors of a police shooting resulted in rioting, arson, and looting in the U.S. city of Minneapolis from August 26–28, 2020. The events began as a reaction to the suicide of Eddie Sole Jr., a 38-year old black man who was being pursued by Minneapolis police officers for his alleged involvement in a homicide. At approximately 2 p.m. on August 26, Sole died after he shot himself in the head as officers approached to arrest him. False rumors quickly spread on social media that Minneapolis police officers had fatally shot Sole. To quell unrest, Minneapolis police released closed-circuit television surveillance footage that captured Sole's suicide, which was later confirmed by a Hennepin County Medical Examiner's autopsy report.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daunte Wright protests</span> Series of demonstrations and riots in response to a police shooting in April 2021

Protests and civil disorder occurred in reaction to the killing of Daunte Wright on April 11, 2021. Wright, a 20-year-old Black man, was fatally shot by police officer Kimberly Potter during a traffic stop in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, United States. Protests that first began in Brooklyn Center spread to other locations in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area and then to other cities in the United States. Several nights of civil disorder in Brooklyn Center and adjacent cities resulted in sporadic looting and damage to a few hundred properties, including four businesses that were set on fire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 Uptown Minneapolis unrest</span> Protests after the police killing of Winston Boogie Smith, beginning June 2021

Civil unrest began in the Uptown district of the U.S. city of Minneapolis on June 3, 2021, as a reaction to news reports that law enforcement officers had killed a wanted suspect during an arrest. The law enforcement killing occurred atop a parking ramp near West Lake Street and Girard Avenue. Police fired several rounds, killing the person at the scene. In an initial statement about the encounter, the U.S. Marshals Service alleged that a person failed to comply with arresting officers and produced a gun. Crowds gathered on West Lake Street near the parking ramp soon afterwards as few details were known about the incident or the deceased person, who was later identified as Winston Boogie Smith, a 32-year-old black American man.

References

Citations
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Rucker & Upton 2006, p. 110.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Waddington 2007, p. 65.
  3. 1 2 Grace & White 2004, p. 8.
  4. 1 2 3 Waddington 2007, p. 66.
  5. 1 2 Waddington 2007, p. 67.
  6. 1 2 Rucker & Upton 2006, p. 108.
  7. 1 2 Waddington 2007, p. 68.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Rucker & Upton 2006, p. 109.
  9. ↑ Gottbrath, Paul (2001-03-14). "Suit kicks off battle over racial profiling". The Cincinnati Post . E. W. Scripps Company. Archived from the original on 2006-10-20. Retrieved 2007-10-01.
  10. ↑ CityBeat Archived 2007-08-04 at the Wayback Machine
  11. ↑ "Driving while black". Washington Times. 19 April 2001. Archived from the original on January 6, 2016. Retrieved January 6, 2015.
  12. ↑ John Larson, "Behind the death of Timothy Thomas", Dateline NBC, 4/10/2004, accessed 31 March 2015
  13. 1 2 Waddington 2007, p. 64.
  14. 1 2 3 Stradling 2003, p. 151.
  15. ↑ City estimates costs associated with property destruction at $1.5M-$2M, Cincinnati, Ohio: Cincinnati Business Courier, April 24, 2001, retrieved February 15, 2014
  16. ↑ Grace & White 2004, p. 7.
  17. ↑ Ross 2013, p. 75.
  18. ↑ Ross 2013, p. 74.
  19. ↑ Ross 2013, p. 76.
  20. ↑ McCain, Marie. "Grand jury indicts 63 in looting, violence," The Cincinnati Enquirer, 21 April 2001. 29 October 2006 .
  21. ↑ Stradling 2003, p. 152.
  22. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Jane Predergast, Cincinnati riots anniversary, Cincinnati Enquirer (April 3, 2011).
Sources

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.