George Floyd protests in Columbus, Ohio

A few more agitated events involved protesters throwing water bottles, rocks and bricks, and launching fireworks into lines of police.Officers, mounted police, and SWAT used pepper spray, tear gas, rubber and wooden pellets, and flashbangs to drive them back, and sometimes to attack those protesting non-violently.On June 1, the city declared racism a public health crisis, and Police Chief Thomas Quinlan and other officers marched with protesters for the first time.Around 11:30, protesters used trash cans to smash the Statehouse's windows, and attempted to enter through its High Street doors (locked to the public for years).Small flags for forgotten soldiers on the east side of the building were set on fire; the remaining ones were brought inside by a Statehouse grounds crew.[24] Five people were arrested that day for setting off fireworks and creating a panic, and five police officers were injured, at least two by rocks and bricks thrown at them.Some politicians were with protesters early in the day, including Ohio U.S. Representative Joyce Beatty, Columbus City Council President Shannon Hardin, and Franklin County Commissioner Kevin Boyce.[33] Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost began sweeping up debris in Capitol Square early in the day, asking others to join him.The students, representing The Lantern newspaper, had shown their press credentials and were exempt from the city's curfew as journalists; officers replied with statements including that they "don't care" and to "get inside.Quinlan defended his officers' use of tear gas and pepper spray, stating that it helps disperse crowds without a need for arrests, charges, courtroom appearances, and further actions.The speeches and chants echoed similar and past protests, though with the addition of singing happy birthday to Breonna Taylor, an African-American woman shot and killed by Louisville police.After curfew, at around 10:40, police began to show resistance, forming a line and wearing riot gear, though they did not use force to disperse the crowd, then dwindling to about 40 people.[55] Also on June 5, about 500 medical workers (students, researchers, doctors, and nurses) participated in a demonstration at the Ohio State University's James Cancer Hospital.Service and bar staff walked out of its Short North location in protest of a company policy giving a 50% discount to police and firefighters.In addition, an event was held at the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas in Columbus, involving numerous public defenders kneeling for eight minutes and 46 seconds.[65] Also that day, about 300 Ohio State University faculty signed a letter to the school's administration, asking it to cut ties with the Columbus police.The city council president apologized for inaction on the 330-page report on policing problems released August 2019, and officially delivered to the mayor in January.Some of the city's commissioners pushed for reprioritizing the department's budget, for fewer armored vehicles and helicopters and more social services for police to handle routine societal problems.[68] Nonrelated to the protests, severe thunderstorms moved into the area that evening, and a tornado warning was issued for the south side of Columbus.[70] A protest was held at Northstar Cafe in the Short North, following employee walkouts over the company reinstating a 50% police discount.[78] Columbus police officers, speaking anonymously, detailed low morale and unsteady leadership in the department and mixed signals from the city government.Regarding the incident on the prior day, they recounted several "stand-down" orders, conflicting with official accounts by the mayor and Division of Police.[81] About 300 gathered at the Ohio Statehouse to picket and march in protest of the minimal charges brought against officers involved in the shooting of Breonna Taylor.The mayor stated that the arrests were inconclusive alone, referring to a bus filled with bats, rocks, meat cleavers, and axes, found by Columbus police on May 31.[86] About 1,200 local businesses, nonprofits, and institutions signed a letter to Columbus City Council supporting its declaration of racism as a public health crisis.The city council president apologized for inaction on the 330-page report on policing problems released August 2019, and officially delivered to the mayor in January.Some of the city's commissioners pushed for reprioritizing the department's budget, for fewer armored vehicles and helicopters and more social services for police to handle routine societal problems.J. Averi Frost, executive director of the Central Ohio African-American Chamber of Commerce, noted her skepticism, that insurance companies avoid paying, and might not give business-interruption coverage due to the pandemic already shuttering businesses.[106] At the time, the city also contained three statues of its namesake, Christopher Columbus, known for "discovering America", afterward colonizing and enslaving its indigenous peoples.The city's curfew also caused service to end system-wide at 9 p.m.[110][111] COTA initially reported its service changes were to ensure customers' safety and "give protesters a safe space to demonstrate for the end to systemic racism", though after criticism because the protests were over a much smaller area, the agency instead reported that it was due to the police emergency declared.