CLEVELAND — The weekend protests over the death of George Floyd went from calm to chaos in what seemed like minutes, just in the time it took to walk from Downtown Cleveland’s Free Stamp at Willard Park to the Justice Center.
Protesters say officers initiated the violence to force them to leave the Justice Center. But, Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association President, Jeff Follmer, says that's false and that police were provoked.
"They had a goal to come into Cleveland and destroy it. And it's obvious when you look around at Downtown. This wasn't come yell at the police and then leave. This was, start a car here on fire, smash some windows," he explained.
He's witnessed many local protests, including those after the shooting of Tamir Rice, as well as Timothy Russell and Malissa Williams following a high-speed chase. He says, most demonstrations have been peaceful. But this time it was different.
"They're flipping people off. They're getting into police officer's faces...everybody screaming, yelling, throwing bottles, throwing garbage cans,” he told us.
According to County records and despite what the City has been saying, everyone arrested as part of the protest lives in Ohio.
There were, however, out of state protesters.
"The riots, the burning of the buildings, the smelling of the smoke, the looting, the crashing of the windows, it's art, it's expression,"said Prince Israel, who was part of the Justice Center demonstrations.
His attitude is why Attorney Joe Diemert says, just because no one from out of state was arrested, doesn’t mean they weren’t behind the violence. As a former Justice Department official working in the Civil Rights Division, he mediated for protesters and law enforcement during the Vietnam war.
“The protesters usually had a legitimate concern, such as this point in time,” he says. “But eventually, those who want to take advantage of those concerns and turn it into anarchy, are hell bent on using the protesters as a vehicle.”
He knows, because he mingled with the demonstrators for information, and says, the instigators often stay behind the scenes and just organize the violence.
"We saw bicycle patrols to alert the protesters where the police were going to be," says Diemert, describing his time investigating the protests he says.
"They had walkie-talkies, they had provisions, they brought the Molotov cocktails. They brought the bricks and they supplied the individuals who were helping create the chaos amidst the peaceful protesters.”
During the weekend protests in Cleveland, you could see professionally made signs, and some protesters even admitted they were there in preparation of violence.
“I have a book pack full of medical supplies, and water, and food…anything I can do to help others here," said one protester.
Had the City administration learned from history, some say, the violence might have been headed off.