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More Events Waylaid In Cincinnati
The disturbances and resulting curfew have led to postponements and cancellations of events in the downtown area and other neighborhoods, most notably a Lil’ Bow Wow concert scheduled April 13 at the Taft Theatre. The show has been bumped to May 15.
Another weekend casualty at the same venue was comedian D.L. Hughley’s show, originally set for April 14. It was not immediately rescheduled.
Though the curfew falls only on the city of Cincinnati, nearby communities are taking a hit from the unrest as well.
A Peter Yorn concert scheduled April 15 at Top Cat’s in nearby Corryville has been postponed, and all weekend events at Bogart’s – also in Corryville – were canceled.
Nightclubs throughout the Main Street entertainment district announced they were closing for the holiday weekend, incurring a possibly major economic blow.
Perhaps the hardest hit was a cancer research fundraiser that was canceled along with the rest of the weekend’s entertainment at Annie’s Riverside Saloon.
Cincinnati has been the scene of scattered unrest including looting and gunfire since the early-morning killing April 8 of an unarmed black man named Timothy Thomas by a white police officer in the city’s Over-the-Rhine section.
As demonstrations escalated into vandalism and violence, a curfew was instituted. There were 136 arrests the first overnight for curfew violations, 70 of which were scheduled for arraignment April 13, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Police and representatives for the shooting victim’s family were pleased with the lack of violence after the curfew went into effect.
Police Chief Tom Streicher told the newspaper the curfew went “better than expected” and would continue indefinitely.
Kenneth Lawson, attorney for Thomas’ family, told the Enquirer that he was also pleased that there were no major incidents of violence overnight.
However, the seeming de-escalation of tensions could be short-lived, as the curfew announcement angered some in the African-American community and Thomas’ April 14 funeral approached.
“They’re setting rules on us, but they’re not setting rules on the police force,” resident Yvette Hall said at a meeting led by NAACP President Kweisi Mfume, according to the Los Angeles Times.
“Saturday, when they bury that boy, there’s going to be hell to pay,” she said – despite calls for cooperation with police by Mfume.
With the mood of the city uncertain beyond the weekend, and the indefinite extension of the police curfew, it’s hard to tell when businesses – including concert venues – will be able to re-open.
In possible jeopardy are concerts slated for the coming week featuring Guster at Bogart’s, and David Gray with Nina Gordon at the Taft Theatre. Both shows are scheduled on Tuesday, April 17.