BLM protests come to Wapakoneta
WAPAKONETA — Most Saturdays the Auglaize County Courthouse parking lot is home to the Wapakoneta Farmers Market.
But before the vendors had a chance to pack up their tents and merchandise Saturday, the parking lot started to fill with cars and pickup trucks, their passengers waiting for the arrival of protestors.
They didn’t have to wait long. Local protestors as well as a coordinated Black Lives Matter effort from Columbus arrived at the courthouse on Willipie Street just before 1 p.m. to share their shouted message.
Rumors about both sides of the event had circulated for about half a week, leading to a Facebook event planned for those wanting to defend businesses during the protest. Protestors found a parking lot full of observers.
The Black Lives Matter protestors also marched through downtown Wapakoneta with megaphones, shouting “Black Lives Matter” as well as chants against police and white supremacists.
Wapakoneta’s police department was a visible presence, led by Chief Cal Schneider, as was the Auglaize County Sheriff’s Office; Sheriff Al Solomon was on the scene as well.
As the protestors stopped at the courthouse, those from the parking lot came across the street to face them. Traffic was impeded for a bit; law enforcement ended up blocking traffic in that block of Willipie Street for about 30 minutes.
BLM Organizer Dave Johnson explained their reason for being in Wapakoneta.
“There are people of color in this area who don’t get to see this kind of support,” he said, adding they wanted to protest “everyday racism” and used stereotypical impressions as an example.
“This should not be divisive; Black lives matter also,” Johnson said.
Jayvious Wooley, who was with group from Columbus, said, “We came to show people out here they don’t need to be scared to come out. We are trying to get more numbers out so people aren’t lonely and to bring more awareness to it.”
A protestor who was with the group from Columbus who identified herself as Alpha said, “We are here for those who have fallen,” referring to the BLM movement being associated with protests against police-involved shootings of Black people.
Madeline Dorsett, a Wapakoneta High School student who arrived early said, there hasn’t been a lot of talk about the Black Lives Matter movement in Wapakoneta.
“I think this is really a place where people need to start talking about it,” she said. “There (are) a lot of people with prejudice that live in Wapak and we really need a conversation going here.”
Dorsett said she got information about the protest through one of her brother’s friends.
“We’ve been kind of waiting for a protest to get started here,” she said.
Shawna Johnson-Forhan of Wapakoneta approached high schoolers who showed up at the courthouse before the protestors arrived.
“Go the hell home,” she said. “You are kids fighting an adult game — sometimes you don’t understand. Until you’ve been called the N-word you don’t get it. Just go home.”
Ellie Roettger a junior at Wapakoneta High School disagreed.
“This is our generation; it’s our time to change things nobody else has before, who knows if somebody will after us so it’s our time to fight,” she said.
The protest was peaceful, albeit loud as both sides shouted and chanted. Those who felt differently weren’t shy about sharing their opinions.
“I disagree with it,” Toby Havens of Wapakoneta said. “I don’t have any problem with people protesting. You have your right to free speech. The whole premise for it is wrong. It’s the same thing with Antifa. It’s a hijacked protest and everybody knows it. They are not out here for Black Lives Matter. If they cared about Black Lives Matter, then what about all the aborted Black babies? They couldn’t care less, what about all the killings in Chicago?”
Brian Sutton said he was there to explain to Black Lives Matter that “All lives matter to us, even unborn babies. They are mass murdered every day. I believe Black lives matter absolutely; there is no doubt about it just like all other lives matter.
“They are not about Black Lives Matter, they are not,” Sutton said. “I have no problem with them having a protest as long as it’s non-violent and they are within reason.”
When asked if he planned on approaching the protestors, he said, “Have you seen it? They approach you.”
Sutton said that cops lives mattered to him as well.
“I understand there are a few bad cops out there that need to be arrested and put away, but the majority of police officers are out there to help other people and to keep their community safe,” he said. “This whole thing is about getting everybody to hate cops, and that kind of thing. If you think it’s an injustice, handle it in court, its that simple. You can’t win on the street.”
Toby Wilcoxson said he was there because of “BLM saying they are coming to Wapak, I am just making sure they don’t tear up the town.”
He said he didn’t plan to confront protestors as long as it didn’t get violent.
Anson Adkins of Wapakoneta carried a pistol to the protest.
“Media has shown that these things can get a little funky,” he said. “I am believer that proper showing keeps things peaceful.”
He said the presence of the community was to keep their town safe.
“BLM, as far as what it stands for on the surface, is perfectly fine,” Adkins said, “parts of it were turning into destruction of private citizens property that has nothing to do with the movement itself. An armed society is a polite society.”
He said if people were going to try to start anything they would think twice.
At times protestors became difficult to hear over the combined efforts of individuals in the parking lot laying on their horns and revving their engines in unison.
“If they were to have a civil conversation,” Mayor Tom Stinebaugh said, “maybe they could talk about some things that matter, but all this is is noise, on both sides.”