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Groovy Grannies Hold Protest In Springfield To Address Police Violence

The 2014 shooting of John Crawford sparked protests across the Miami Valley. In this photo, a group calling itself the Groovy Grannies organized a demonstration against police violence in Springfield.
Wayne Baker
/
WYSO

A group called the Groovy Grannies has formed in Springfield to protest police killings of unarmed black men. 

Almost 50 people gathered outside of City Hall Monday and marched to the Springfield courthouse, chanting the names of John Crawford III and Tamir Rice, who were both killed by police in Ohio earlier this year. Springfield pastor Linda Stampley is one of the founders of the group.

"We as grandmothers are out here as the groovy grannies, protesting for those young men," she said. "And we want to make sure that the young people understand that we have not left their side and we're sorry that it took us so long to get back out here to help them."

The Rev. Robert Buford of Clark County believes that  there is a need to develop community policing policies that can help stem police shootings. Buford is a member of the Springfield Peacekeepers, a group that works alongside the police to help curb neighborhood violence.

"But I thank God for a police department that seems to have already jumped ahead of this situation and doing something about it," he said. "However, I stand today for the justice for these young men and women that we have mentioned this morning."

This was the third local protest against police violence in the last week, though this one wasn't asking for any specific action from law enforcement. The other two protests were in Beavercreek at Walmart and the Fairfield Commons Mall, and a total of 16 people were arrested. Twelve of them have their first court date today.