Activists late Thursday filed a federal lawsuit against Akron police over the pepper-spraying of protesters who demonstrated after a grand jury declined to indict eight city police officers who fatally shot Jayland Walker.
Justice for Jayland Walker march, April 18, 2023AKRON, Ohio—
The lawsuit was filed after Akron police and Summit County sheriff’s deputies arrested six protesters on Wednesday night and used pepper spray on them. City spokeswoman Stephanie Marsh said the city does not comment on pending litigation. Police officials previously said that protesters threw bottles and other items at police, prompting the pepper spray. Protesters, however, toldand The Plain Dealer that they peacefully demonstrated, and officers broke up the protest with pepper spray for no reason.
“The city of Akron has gone to galling lengths to suppress and chill peaceful political demonstrations in the wake of the police killing of Jayland Walker and to punish people and groups who have attempted to protest despite Akron’s deterrence,” the lawsuit said. The lawsuit accuses Akron officers of escalating their response to peaceful protests since the grand jury’s decision. They issued citations and tickets to drivers of a caravan of some 70 cars that followed protesters on Tuesday.
The lawsuit said the use of less than lethal weapons on protesters is a pattern that dates to protests following Walker’s shooting last year.
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