UPDATED at 2:19 p.m.
A crowd gathered this afternoon at Governor’s Square in downtown Middletown as protests continued in Butler County following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
The event began at about 1 p.m. with several dozen people, including chants of “no justice, no peace.” A woman who spoke to those gathered said that “it takes a whole community not just the police department” to address the issues about police activity raised by the nationwide protests.
The crowd numbered approximately 75 to 100 people.
Middletown police Chief David Birk was at the scene interacting with protesters. He told them “we don’t train that way” when questioned about Minnesota police and the tactics used before Floyd’s death.
Police Major Leanne Hood spoke to those gathered and asked them to help police. She held up her phone.
“Help us out,” she said. “When you see the police, since we don’t have body cams, help us out. Get your cameras out when you see police interacting with somebody.”
Debbie Lewis, who helped organize the Saturday event in Middletown, said residents need to get involved to cause change.
“If we don’t step up for others, how can we expect them to step up for us?” she told the Journal-News as the crowd behind her chanted “black lives matter.”
Multiple events happened throughout the week in Butler County, including a Tuesday night gathering in West Chester Twp. that drew protesters who had been in downtown Cincinnati earlier in the day, and two events on Wednesday in Hamilton and Middletown.
Organizers have protesters have spoken on a consistent theme: They say violence against black residents by police officers is at a breaking point, governments need to take specific actions to battle the problem and those police who commit violence need to be prosecuted.
PROTESTS COVERAGE
• Wednesday, June 3 in Middletown: Story | Photos
• Wednesday, June 3 in Hamilton: Story | Photos
• Tuesday, June 2 in West Chester: Story | Photos
• Sunday, May 31 in Hamilton: Story | Photos
Earlier in the day on Saturday, dozens met in Carlisle for a protest at Roscoe Park. The group gathered to make signs organizer Brendon Nerenberg told the group he wants to start “a very difficult conversation.”
Brook Nauta of Franklin Twp. brought her three children to the event.
“I hope the people around us ... take the time to think about what’s going on, in Carlisle and elsewhere, and realize that change does need to be happening,” she said.
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WATCH: Police officials speak to crowd during Middletown protest at Governor’s Square - Hamilton Journal News
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