CLEVELAND — Protesters in downtown Cleveland blocked off Public Square for more than an hour and then blocked the Shoreway in both directions at East Ninth Street for about 30-45 minutes.
The protest was winding down in Public Square about 6:20 p.m., more than three hours after it started at 3 p.m.
At one point protesters lay in the street in Public Square before making their way north on Ontario Street, East on Lakeside Avenue and north on East Ninth Street and onto the Shoreway, where they remained for close to 45 minutes.
Route 2 in CLE is totally blocked by protestors near the Rock Hall @wkyc pic.twitter.com/2p29Pie2yP — Brandon Simmons (@216Brandon) November 25, 2014
Just after 5:30 p.m., protesters left the Shoreway, saying they were headed back to Public Square. About 6:15 p.m., police said the Shoreway was open.
Amid stopped rush hour traffic, they chanted “What do we want? Justice! When do we want it? Now!” and “Black lives matter!” as they blocked the Shoreway in both directions.
Police on scene on the Shoreway had said they had no plan to remove the protesters from the road. Eastbond drivers remained stopped for a significant amount of time, but police had managed to divert most of the westbound drivers.
Cuyahoga County Sheriff Frank Bova, who said he was on scene to assist Cleveland Police Chief Frank Bova said, “We’re allowing people their constitutional right to protest.”
While still in Public Square close to the start of the protest, a man was detained by police officers and placed in the back of a cruiser.
Protesters were demonstrating against both the lack of an indictment of a police officer in Ferguson, Mo., who shot and killed an unarmed teenager and the killing this past weekend of a 12-year-old Cleveland boy by police. At one point while Public Square was blocked, two bicyclists attempted to get through Public Square and were turned away by protesters.
Channel 3’s Brandon Simmons (@216Brandon) tweeted: “Cyclists asked to leave by protesters who say ‘Stand with us or leave.’ Cyclists agree to leave.”
Cyclists asked to leave by protestors who say “stand with us or leave.” Cyclists agree to leave. @wkyc — Brandon Simmons (@216Brandon) November 25, 2014