Cincinnati police form a line against mob violence July 4, 2015. Photo: Cincy vs Everyone
Fireworks, rocks, bottles and punches were thrown at Cincinnati police by a mob of people gathered for a Fourth of July hip hop and electronica concert late Saturday night. Several officers were wounded including one who needed stitches after a thrown glass bottle struck him in the face. Another officer was punched and received a split lip.
According to one report, police had to rescue a white man being attacked by about forty Black people.
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The Cincinnati Enquirer detailed two of the arrests:
“Jy Quynn Britten, 21, punched a peace officer in the face while officers tried to arrest another person, according to court documents.
“Britten then ran from officers through Fountain Square before being Tased and arrested.
“As arrests were made, an officer told a bystander operating a camera, “Hey, when you’re shooting that video make sure you get the officer with the busted lip.”
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“Britten is accused of assault, resisting arrest, and obstructing official business.”
…”Gary Sheffield, 29, was arrested in the 500 block of Walnut Street near Fountain Square for misconduct at an emergency, according to court documents.
“Police said Sheffield refused to obey orders and screamed at officers.”
Jy Quinn Britten, left, and Gary Sheffield, right, Hamilton County Justice Center via WLWT-TV.
WCPO-TV reported seven people were arrested including three juveniles.
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WKRC-TV reported one man attacked by the mob was found motionless on a sidewalk.
The alleged details of the beating of the victim were told by a police officer in an anonymous online statement reported by the website Cincinnati Vs. Everyone:
…”So then we form into riot formation with helmets on and begin passing out the shields. Honestly this was the first time I got to partake in this. So we see ahead a scuffle begin and think it’s just a fight. Well not so much, it was like 40 v. 1. I saw 40 v. 1, it was 40 black youths stomping the crap out of one unlucky male white. He didn’t do anything to deserve this beating except be white. I’m going to skip all the rhetoric and just say don’t we all matter??? This just pissed us all off. Time to rescue or at least try to get these thugs off of him. So we were sent in with shields and arrest team to do a victim rescue. Feel bad for the guy since he nor anyone deserved a beat down like that for no reason…”
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The officer ended his statement with a plea for unity:
“I felt like I had to tell the truth and get the word out there from one of the men on the front line. We as an American Society and Cincinnatians need to get our (act) together because these types of interactions are going to increase. I say it again, this stuff is increasing not only here at home but across the country. We need to come together and fight back.”
Link to raw cellphone video from Cincinnati riot taken by John Michael Catalona and posted by WLWT.
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