“This is your official warning ... it is time to go home,” someone could be heard saying over a loudspeaker.
Officers blocked the intersection of E. Freedom Way and Marian Spencer Way near Yard House restaurant, telling people they could not cross and should go around.
Throughout the day, our crews have seen officers running to and from different downtown locations.
In one instance, officers told us that around 20 juveniles were fighting in Washington Park. In another, a large group of people began running through The Banks in the middle of the Reds game.
“We had multiple calls of large crowds ... where there was quite a bit of disorder and violence,” CPD interim chief Adam Hennie said. “As officers were trying to dispatch into those areas, they met a lot of resistance.”
Hennie said there were reports of people tasing or using chemical irritants against other people.
We spoke with FOP President Ken Kober, who told us it was “absolute chaos.”
“Just mass hysteria, chaos,” Kober said. “What should have been a fantastic day, beautiful weather in Cincinnati, you know, Major League Baseball back in Cincinnati, is completely overshadowed by juveniles that are just causing chaos.”
He told us that police had to recall any off-duty SWAT or Civil Disturbance Response Team members available to come in to help manage the crowds.
Hennie told us multiple people have been arrested, but could not provide an official number. He said he believes the police’s use of force was “minimal” and no officers have been injured.
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