Community members gather at Dayton courthouse to rally against police brutality

DAYTON — Several Ohio organizations and community members gathered Saturday afternoon at the Courthouse Square in Dayton to take part in a statewide effort to rally against police brutality.

Members of the “Ohio Families Unite Against Police Brutality,” along with other organizers from Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Columbus were dressed in red as a symbol of bloodshed across the state.

Speakers began to share at 1:30 p.m. and were followed by a rally.

The gathering is considered the next step in a series of family-first events aimed at reopening cases of police brutality that were previously thrown out, organizers stated in a release.

“In Southern Ohio we are combining forces to show up strong in Dayton,” the release said.

Dion Green, a local activist, attended the event to stand in solidarity with families searching for justice.

Green’s father, Derrick Fudge, was a victim of the 2019 Oregon District shooting, where he said he held him during his last moments.

>>Dion Green, son of Oregon District Shooting victim, spoke at a march to end gun violence in Springfield (whio.com)

“Whenever someone asks me ‘Dion, did you lose someone to police violence?’ No, but I gravitate towards them because we are all hurting,” said Green.

Daj’za Demmings, a Dayton resident who attended the rally, said it was important to stand in solidarity with the families of those who have passed away from police brutality and to show that they are not forgotten.

“I think it’s important that we bring it locally for people to really understand the traumatic effects of dealing with things like that,” Demmings said.

Community members continue to express hope that laws will be overturned and for officers to be prosecuted for their actions.

Cox Media Group