Demonstrations in Cincinnati on November 12, 2016

A photographic record of the demonstrations that took place in Cincinnati, Ohio following national and local news events.

Maybe it hasn't been hard to find words in the wake of last week's election. Perhaps, it's not even hard for people to find words at all anymore. Through social media, it's clear that everyone has at least a few paragraphs worth of thoughts to express multiple and varied viewpoints.

I have my opinions, I'm sure you have yours.

It's hard not to have a stance in the wake of large scale news events, both the ones that take place on the national stage (with international ramifications) and those that take place locally. However, in this particular post, I'm not here to editorialize or offer comment. Although, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't concerned for many people I care about and of those who I don't know personally. To be frank though, I don't really have the energy after this week. Maybe there will be a time and a place for that here one QC/D one day, but I want this particular post to serve as a record.

I've covered the news as a student, as a journalist, and as a freelancer before. I've documented several presidential visits, protest marches, local/state/national campaigns, tea party rallies in the wake of the first Obama election, and even anti-scientology protests in the early 2000's. Like those news events, I wanted to document this one as well, although this time as a personal documentation.

A record of the demonstrations that took place in Cincinnati, Ohio on November 12, 2016:

After months of campaigning and an election on November 8, 2016, Republican nominee and businessman Donald J. Trump was declared as the President-elect, defeating Democrat nominee and former First Lady/Senator/Secretary of State Hillary R. Clinton. As everyone is no doubt familiar, the result reverberated with many at home and abroad.

In the same week, the greater-Cincinnati area was at the center of another news subject: the trial of University of Cincinnati Police Officer Ray Tensing. The 26-year-old officer was charged by Hamilton County with murder and voluntary manslaughter following his shooting of Sam Dubose during a traffic stop outside the University's campus which was captured on a body camera. A few days after the Presidential Election and following four days of deliberation, Tensing's case was declared a mistrial when the jury failed to reach a verdict.

On Saturday November 12, 2016, after the mistrial was announced, a demonstration was lead by the Black Lives Matter movement. That march eventually merged with another demonstration that was protesting the election of Donald Trump, itself echoing similar protests held in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Portland. The anti-Trump demonstration began at Fountain Square before marching towards Washington Park, and through Over-The-Rhine. It eventually merged with the Black Lives Matter demonstration outside of the Hamilton County Courthouse. The combined march spanned several blocks (estimated at around 1,000 people) proceeded through the streets, around downtown, and eventually up to Washington Park where both seemed to conclude following several speeches.

The diverse group remained peaceful, with a police presence along the way. While officers in full riot gear blocked an intersection on the western end of downtown, a large contingent of officers on bicycles followed along. A Hamilton County Sheriff's helicopter circled above, along with the WCPO news helicopter, and a group of regularly uniformed officers waited a the Northwest corner of Washington Park until the protests concluded.

These photographs serve as a record of the day's events as the city and nation move through a pivotal time in history.