By: Buckeye in the West

Buckeye in the West
Wed, 14 Jan 2015 22:22:07 +0000

Looks like, based upon a video posted on The Columbus Dispatch web site, that the police were not provoked in using peeper spray. They just went ahead and sprayed just north of 13th and High Street. Looks like the crowd was not unruly at all. Unless yelling “USA! USA! is considered unruly. If anything, what occurred afterwords, fires, rock throwing, etc. probably was the result Columbus Police creating the situation.

Columbus Police and OSU students have a long history of distrust. It goes back to May, 1970 when student protest, that closed the Neil Avenue gate (near 12th Avenue). The Columbus Police responded by tear gassing Neil, the Oval, 15th Avenue and Indianola up to Lane. This resulted in OSU closing for the quarter. A couple days later, were the shootings at Kent State.

As a result of the 1970 situation, the OSU Police Department was formed and Columbus Police effectively were kicked off campus. It is the way Columbus Police react to OSU students which continue to cause animosity to the present day; 45 years later. If the Columbus Police spent more time with property and violent crime east of campus, than jay walking tickets on High Street, the OSU area would not be the crime ridden area it is.