Updates

Ohio Families Unite stands with Devin Johnson and his family

New camera footage shows the use of force by Officer Matthew Blauvelt was excessive and unjust

COLUMBUS—On November 18th, 2023 in Oxford, Ohio, 20-year-old Devin Johnson, a student at Miami University, was arrested and charged with assault, resisting arrest, underage drinking and criminal trespassing. After the arrest the Oxford Police Department claimed it was investigating the use of force, while immediately affirming the use of force was certainly justified. This false narrative immediately planted by the Oxford police department could not be further from the truth.

We came together yesterday in front of the barricaded statehouse steps to demand accountability for police brutality in Ohio.

Families spoke their truth for how Time is a Factor for their losses.

Organizers from a dozen organizations used the power of art in protest to highlight the 1,200 Ohioans who are no longer with us because of police brutality, leaving empty shoes behind that will never be filled.

And the community stood in solidarity, filling postcards with name after name of people who are no longer with us, and for whom no amount of justice will bring them back.

Time is a factor. And the time is now for us to come together to end police brutality in Ohio.

Ohio Families United demand access to the democratic process

COLUMBUS—OFUPAC, a statewide organization of families directly impacted by police violence, is finding the recent victory over Issue 1 hard to celebrate.

“We are disgusted by the recent assault on Ohio communities perpetuated by Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, who has used police violence to further his extremist agenda,” said OFUPAC Executive Director Emily Cole. “Secretary LaRose found cause to scapegoat a wide range of issues Ohioans are concerned with during his attempt to curtail voting rights, access to citizen-initiated ballot issues, and other signals of the end of democracy in Ohio.”