Thousands of protesters turned out across Ohio on Saturday, days after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in Minneapolis shot a protester there in the face, killing her. As the protests took place, advocates worked to organize responses to future ICE actions in the Buckeye State.

In Columbus, people turned out at the intersection of North Broadway and High Street, carrying signs and chanting condemnations of the shooting. 

A Columbus police officer said that Saturday protests there are routine. But where they normally draw crowds numbering in the dozens, he estimated Saturday’s to be about 300. 

Lynn Tramonte, founder of the Ohio Immigrant Alliance, said that large crowds also turned out to protest in Cleveland, Akron, and Youngstown.

They were protesting a masked ICE agent’s shooting of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good. Good was behind the wheel of her SUV when the agent, Jonathan E. Ross, shot her from point-blank range. 

Just after the shooting, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and later President Donald Trump claimed that Good was trying to run over the masked agent. 

A New York Times analysis contradicted that claim. It displayed video evidence showing that Good was steering her vehicle away from the agent when he shot her.

The killing comes after an ICE supervisor in Ohio was accused last month of multiple violent attacks against his much-younger, noncitizen partner. They also follow the sentencing last year of another Ohio officer who extorted sex from a vulnerable immigrant who was in his care.

In Columbus, people lined the wet streets, carrying signs that said things like “Ice Out,” and “No Kings, No Thugs. Stop the Chaos, Cruelty, Corruption.” 

Many passing vehicles honked their horns in support of the protest. But one man driving a pickup pulled up, rolled down his window and said, “Kill them all.” Asked who he wanted to see killed, he repeated himself, rolled up his window and drove off. 

Many others, however, say they want to defend immigrants and others ICE is targeting.

Izetta Thomas is a member of the Columbus Education and Justice Coalition. The group works for equity and justice in general. But it started working to protect immigrants after the Trump administration last year started rounding up people by the thousands.

“I don’t think our group came to the issue, the issue came to us,” Thomas said.

“We have a number of students and parents and neighbors in Columbus whose freedoms and rights are at risk, who are being terrorized by military raids that are coming into our city and neighborhoods. Anything that happens in or outside the school doors is our business. And anything that happens in our neighborhoods impacts our students’ lives.”

Tramonte said that people across Ohio can call her group’s hotline — 419-777-HELP (4357) — to find groups near them that react to ICE raids and assist immigrants in other ways. She said people in Central Ohio can also reach out to the Community Response Hub.

Tramonte was asked if there were resources instructing citizens on how they can monitor and protest ongoing ICE operations legally and safely. She said the SALUTE system lays out the details observers should take down, and local groups know how to go about doing it.

But last week’s shooting in Minneapolis illustrates the risks, Tramonte said.

“The ‘safely’ part is where I’m getting caught up,” she said. “Because it’s supposed to be safe, but we’re seeing federal law enforcement act in ways that if local police acted that way, they wouldn’t be able to get away with it. Pulling people out of cars, walking up and shooting people in the face… ‘Safely’ the part where I’m getting hung up.”

Meanwhile, some parents are frustrated with the way Dublin City Schools dealt with ICE detentions near at least one of its campuses on the last day before Christmas break.

They were part of an operation that resulted in more than 280 detentions in Central Ohio that week.

At least two took place about a tenth of a mile from Dublin-Scioto High School, and at least one student was reportedly detained.

Courtney O’Neil’s son is a freshman at the school. When she heard about the ICE arrests, she started calling around to Dublin schools to find out how widespread they were

“They denied it. They said this is a rumor. It’s not true. They’re not around our schools,” O’Neil said. “They said if it did happen, they had plenty of staff to see that students could get home safely.”

She said it was plain to her that those assurances were hollow.

“They’re targeting the parents,” she said of ICE. “They’re targeting the kids (who are) just trying to go to the schools and get an education.”

Asked to comment, Dublin City Schools spokeswoman Cassie Dietrich referred to a written statement the district issued on Dec. 22.

“No immigration enforcement officials were on Dublin City Schools property, no officials were inside our schools, and at this time, Dublin City Schools is not aware of any students being detained,” it said.

It added, “Through our communication with the Dublin Police Department, we have been informed that the only confirmed activity involved a traffic stop at the corner of Emerald Parkway and Hard Road, which was not connected to Dublin City Schools. Dublin Police have also shared that they did not participate in or direct any federal immigration enforcement related to this situation.”

Thomas, of the Columbus Education and Justice Coalition, said that her group, at least, would work to help immigrant schoolchildren and others.

“We’re working to protect our students and families,” she said. “It’s causing trauma. There are folks who are afraid to go to school. There are folks who are afraid to go to work. They are afraid of the authoritarian control that is being advanced by this administration. So we’re working together to do what neighbors do, and that is keep one another safe.”

Originally published by the Ohio Capital Journal. Republished here with permission.

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BROOK PARK, Ohio — Residents will have a chance to learn more about how a proposed Cleveland Browns stadium could affect traffic and transportation across Brook Park and the region during a public meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 14, hosted by the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency and the city.

The meeting will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Brook Park Elementary School Auditorium, 17001 Holland Road, and will focus on regional transportation and traffic pattern changes tied to the planned stadium development.

City officials say the size and scope of the project make transportation one of Brook Park’s top concerns.

“The City of Brook Park is conducting a comprehensive evaluation of the proposed transportation system. Traffic management is the City’s primary concern,” Mayor Edward Orcutt said. “We are working with NOACA, Osborn Engineering, and their consultants to develop traffic controls and mitigation measures for the anticipated increase in vehicles.”

Preliminary modeling has identified several major corridors and intersections expected to experience the greatest traffic impacts on game days and during major events. Those include Brookpark Road, Snow Road and the proposed Ring Road, as well as Brookpark Road at Henry Ford Boulevard, Snow Road at Engle Road and Hummel Road at Henry Ford Boulevard, Orcutt said.

During Wednesday’s meeting, residents and business owners will hear updates from the city and its planning partners.

“The January 14 meeting will give the public another opportunity to learn about the project and provide feedback,” Orcutt said. “Attendees will hear updates from the City and our partners, including preliminary transportation findings and project goals, and will be invited to comment so the City and the Haslam Sports Group can refine plans for long-term success.”

NOACA, the region’s metropolitan planning organization, is working with Brook Park and other local governments to evaluate how the proposed stadium could influence local and regional roadways, transit service, pedestrian and bicycle connectivity, safety and overall mobility.

Specific infrastructure upgrades have not yet been finalized. Orcutt said a number of road, signal and transit options are still under evaluation and will be shared once analysis is complete.

City leaders have also emphasized that surrounding neighborhoods will not be used to absorb stadium traffic.

“From day one I have been clear that neighborhood streets will not be used as overflow for stadium traffic,” Orcutt said. “We are developing traffic-control options, including selective road closures to nonlocal traffic on game days.”

Officials say community feedback will continue to play a key role as planning moves forward.

“Residents and businesses are encouraged to attend upcoming public meetings and open houses and to contact the City with their input,” Orcutt said. “The more these plans are reviewed and challenged by the community, the stronger and more successful the final project will be.”

NOACA describes the Jan. 14 meeting as an open forum where the public can ask questions, share perspectives and help inform how transportation needs and infrastructure opportunities are studied and reflected in future planning and decision-making.

Those who cannot attend in person can submit comments and feedback by email at noaca@mpo.noaca.org, through Mindmixer at noacalive.mindmixer.com, by mail at 1299 Superior Ave. E., Cleveland, OH 44114, or by phone at 216-241-2414, ext. 303.

Orcutt said his position on the project remains firm.

“I have said from Day 1 that this project must be a positive for the City of Brook Park,” he said. “If it is not, then I will not support it.”

While the Browns search for a new head coach is well under way, a former Cleveland Browns head coach has just made a major decision on his NFL career.

Before Kevin Stefanski gave the Browns a little security, the Browns head coaching job was just as much of a rotating door as the quarterbacks. Many different coaches got their opportunity to try and be the savior of Cleveland, but none could get it done.

Former Cleveland Browns head coach Mike Pettine, who more recently served as an assistant head coach for the Minnesota Vikings, has officially announced his retirement from football according to Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell.

Pettine led the Browns in 2014 and 15, where he was expected to bring a strong defensive mentality for a Cleveland team that was struggling.

Pettine’s time with the Browns started well, with him going 7-4 to start the 2014 season. After that, things began to go downhill for his tenure. The Browns would lose their next five games, finishing the year 7-9 and missing out on the postseason.

In 2015, things were even worse as Pettine led Cleveland to just a 3-13 record. After Pettine lost their final game of the season, he was immediately fired on the same day. He would be replaced by Hue Jackson, who would go 1-31 with the Browns.

During 2014, Pettine helped the Browns become one of the better defenses in the NFL. They ranked inside the top 10 in points allowed, giving up just 337 points all season long.

The defense had three players named to the Pro Bowl, with corner Joe Haden and safety’s Donte Whitner and Tashaun Gipson. The team also had a few impressive veterans such as linebacker Karlos Dansby and EDGE Paul Kruger.

The offense, however, was a different story. Despite a solid offensive line with All-Pro and now Hall of Famer Joe Thomas, Mitchell Schwartz, John Greco, Alex Mack (who missed most of the year with an injury), and a rookie Joel Bitonio, quarterback issues limited the team.

Veteran Brian Hoyer, who threw for 3,000 yards and 12 touchdowns to 13 picks, competed against a rookie Johnny Manziel, who struggled to earn any playing time.

Terrance West led the team in rushing with 673 yards, and Andrew Hawking led the team in receiving with 824 yards. Overall, the offense ranked 27th in points scored.

His second year wasn’t pretty. The team ranked bottom three in both points allowed and points scored.

The offensive line, despite Thomas still being named an All-Pro, couldn’t hold up for Manziel or Josh McCown. Isaiah Crowell led the team in rushing with 706, and tight end Gary Barndige led the team in receiving, 1,043, during his breakout campaign.

After Haden got injured, the defense fell apart. Kruger, Gipson and Whitner all regressed and the team had no life and no direction anymore. Pettine was fired, and the Browns entered an even darker era.

Outside of the Browns and Vikings, Pettine served in coaching positions for the Jets, Seahawks, Ravens, Bears, Packers and Bills over a 23 year career.