AKRON — Akron police are barred from using non-lethal force against nonviolent protesters, according to a temporary restraining order filed.
A chaotic scene between protestors and Akron police Wednesday night is at the center of the new lawsuit, our news partners at WOIO report.
Members of the Akron Bail Fund said officers should have never deployed pepper spray and smoke bombs.
The non-profit group has been marching since Jayland Walker was fatally shot by officers last summer.
Wednesday night’s protest was on the heels of a grand jury decision to not criminally charge eight officers involved in the death of Walker.
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Protestors said the city has been trying to silence them as they speak out against police brutality.
Their attorney said they’ve filed a temporary restraining order against the city of Akron.
“One that the court orders Akron police to stop using unlawful force against peaceful demonstrators and two that the city of Akron stops using other speech suppression mechanisms like blocked sidewalks, closing of public buildings, arrests and stops,” Attorney Elizabeth Bonham told WOIO.
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Police said this started after the crowd threw rocks and bottles at the officers.
Akron Police Chief Steve Mylett said he is still reviewing footage to see whether officers were in the wrong.
“Tensions are high and as a community, we must choose a path forward. We can choose a path toward healing or we can choose a path towards destruction,” Mylett said.
The Akron Bail Fund hopes their lawsuit can allow them to peacefully assemble without issue.
“They want to express their protected message, they want to go out and exercise their constitutional rights,” Bonham said.
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