Demonstrators move south down North High Street, passing south campus.

Demonstrators move south down North High Street, passing south campus. Credit: Max Garrison | Asst. Campus Editor

Cardboard signs and chants flashed around North High Street as a group of demonstrators heads south towards the Ohio Statehouse in downtown Columbus, Ohio.

The group started at North Broadway and North High Street outside of a Kroger and has been picking up more demonstrators as they pass people on the street. The group paused to kneel and raise fists into the air at the intersection of Lane Avenue and High Street. 

This is the first reported demonstration that has started north and moved south past the campus area.

Organized through social media, the group is being escorted by Columbus Police. 

As the demonstration passed Ohio State’s campus, University Police vehicles stationed themselves down side streets leading into campus.

Aria Hadgis, a graduate student, joined two blocks before the demonstration passed Kroger near King Avenue. Hadgis said she was protesting against the “legalized murder of black people.”

“Going through peaceful means and helping black lives and preventing the legalized murder of black people has not panned out in legislation yet,” Hadgis said.

The police made no attempt to slow the demonstrators as they headed down High Street. 

Protests in Columbus have been occurring every day since Thursday and have resulted in police using pepper spray, tear gas and wood pellet projectiles on demonstrators. Saturday night’s protests resulted in damages along the campus area of High Street. 

In a tweet, Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther acknowledged that some Columbus Police’s actions Saturday were “aggressive,” and that “the goal is to find a better balance between public safety and peaceful protest.”

This is the second protest in the immediate campus area this weekend. A group of protesters marched up High Street from a larger demonstration downtown Saturday and settled on the Oval for around 30 minutes before heading south again.

The citywide curfew continues to be in effect from 10 p.m. Sunday to 6 a.m. Monday.