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Car drives into protest in front of City Hall; UC protest ended - The Cincinnati Enquirer

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Update, 4:50 p.m.: A protest outside Cincinnati City Hall Wednesday took a scary turn and brought to mind images from Charlottesville in 2017 when a car drove through a group of protesters.

A car rammed protesters on Plum Street.

Luckily, no one was hurt this time.

Just after Cincinnati City Council adjourned Wednesday at about 4 p.m., a black BMW with Kentucky tags approached the intersection of Plum and 9th streets outside city hall, where dozens of protesters stood peacefully.

The BMW approached the intersection and without apparent provocation turned into the protesters. The car revved and moved forward striking protesters and pushing them back several feet.

The car stopped as protesters started pounding on the hood and throwing water bottles at the car. The driver then reversed and sped east down 9th Street.

Police at City Hall rushed at the car, which sped away before they could reach it. Cincinnati City Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld witnessed the incident as he was leaving the city council meeting. He said an active pursuit is taking place.

"Literally it felt like a Charlottesville-style murder attempt,” Sittenfeld said.

Joshua Jessen, 28, of East Walnut Hills was struck by the car as he stood on the crosswalk with the protesters.

“He pulled up and I couldn’t believe what was happening, he gets close to the crosswalk, we jumped in front of the car and he gunned it," Jessen said.

Jessen and other protesters were in disbelief.

“You don’t believe that would really happen to people sitting on the ground just trying to express their peaceful right to protest,” Jessen said.

Protesters said they aren’t discouraged.

"Not at all,” Jessen said. “In fact, it makes me more passionate about this cause.”

Update, 4:40 p.m.: Council member Jan-Michele Kearney posted on Twitter in reference to the car that drove into peaceful protesters Wednesday afternoon, urging those with information to call police.

The black BMW has Kentucky plates, Kearney wrote. Anyone with information on this vehicle is encouraged to call police at 513-352-3505.

Previous reporting: A car drove into a crowd of protesters in front of City Hall this afternoon, but there are apparently no injuries as protests continue into Wednesday evening.

Cincinnati's sixth day of protests in response to the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis began on Clifton Avenue near the University of Cincinnati, and was organized by college students.

At 1 p.m. police had Clifton Avenue blocked at Martin Luther King Drive as protesters asked people in passing cars to make noise.

The protest had representation from students across Ohio and Northern Kentucky, including Ohio State University, Northern Kentucky University and UC students. Organizer Janiah Miller said UC student Myriam Wayne was the lead organizer.

Amna Rustom, Caroline Anthony, and Guilli Dia were additional organizers for Wednesday's Black Lives Matter rally.

The protest, posted on Facebook as an event, had 155 people responding as attending as of Wednesday morning. Organizers pledged on Facebook to protest peacefully and march.

Standing up to racism and police brutality was the listed reason for the protest. The goal was to allow people to speak, to occupy streets and to raise awareness for George Floyd and other African Americans killed through acts of systemic racism.

Megan McConnell, of Columbus, is a junior biology major at the University of Cincinnati. McConnell said she came to the protest Wednesday to acknowledge white silence as part of the problem.

"I just want to make my voice heard and stand with black America," McConnell said.

By 2 p.m., protesters began marching across Martin Luther King Drive to Jefferson, Calhoun and back down Clifton Avenue to the site of the protest start; essentially circling the university area.

Downtown, other protesters gathered at City Hall. 

Councilman Jeff Pastor could be seen taking a seat with protesters outside of Cincinnati City Hall just before the 2 p.m. council meeting.

Inside of City Hall, Cincinnati Chief of Police Eliot Isaac addressed his officers' use of force.

"I've been out there, I've ducked and dodged bottles and rocks myself... I've seen my police cars covered in feces and urine," he said.

At around 3:55 p.m., a car drove into protesters outside of City Hall. No one appeared to be hurt. The black BMW drove off and the rally reformed in the street seconds later.

Throughout the day, protesters continued chants that have been popular all weekend and into this week.

"Hands up. Don't shoot."

"Black lives matter."

"No justice. No peace. No racist police."

"I can't breathe."

Names of black lives lost have been chanted over and over: George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Sam DuBose.

Floyd's death in Minnesota has reminded people of DuBose's death, according to a May 27 Enquirer article. DuBose died after Ray Tensing, a white University of Cincinnati police officer, shot him during a traffic stop.

The official University of Cincinnati Black Lives Matter demonstration seemed to wrap up around 2:45 p.m., as the crowd knelt together in one last form of solidarity for the day. But as some knelt, a large portion of the group broke off, destined for the Hamilton County Courthouse.

As they walked off, the group paused, just around the time officials announced that all four officers involved in Floyd's killing will now face charges. 

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Car drives into protest in front of City Hall; UC protest ended - The Cincinnati Enquirer
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