Defund the police advocates to gather at the Statehouse

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Advocates of defunding the police will rally at the Ohio Statehouse Saturday afternoon in light of recent killings of Black people by law enforcement in the city.

The “defund the police” movement gained prominence after the 2020 Memorial Day death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Advocates of defunding the police want city officials to reduce funding for departments, and instead redirect those funds toward education and social programs.

Originally, a rally in support of Officer Nicholas Reardon was scheduled for Saturday at the Statehouse. That rally was canceled as organizers had requested a fence to separate their group from counter protesters.

Reardon is the officer who fatally shot Ma’Khia Bryant multiple times on April 20. He was among officers responding to a fight in front of a home in Columbus. Police said that Reardon’s body-worn camera showed that Bryant lunged at another female with a knife.

Bryant was laid to rest on Friday.

Her death was the third since December by a law enforcement officer within the city of Columbus.

Adam Coy was fired by the Columbus Police Department days after fatally shooting Andre Hill on Dec. 22, an unarmed Black man holding a cellphone when he was shot. Hill had not committed a crime. Coy was fired and faces two homicide charges in connection with the incident.

On Dec. 4, Casey Goodson was fatally shot by Franklin County Deputy Jason Meade outside of his Columbus home. Goodson’s family claimed he was holding a sandwich at the time when he was shot in the back. Investigators claimed that Goodson waved a gun. Meade remains on administrative leave pending an investigation.