CLEVELAND, Ohio — Downtown Cleveland business owners continue the clean-up process, and police are moving forward with their investigations into vandalism and looting that happened a little over a week ago after what started as a peaceful demonstration.
What You Need To Know
- Gary Cohen is the VP of what he says is downtown Cleveland’s oldest retailer
- The business suffered significant damage after about 7 people looted it inside the 5th Street Arcades
- Police are looking for two men wanted for rioting and arson, as well as a woman, wanted for vandalism and theft, seen in photos holding a baseball bat
The old clock is one of the only things working as usual inside the boarded-up Colonial Coin Company.
“it was pure bedlam,” Gary Cohen said about the recent civil unrest.
Cohen says he was shocked.
“It’s definitely a setback, but we will move forward.”
United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio Justin Herdman announced on Friday that two men from out-of-state, Brandon Althof-Long and Devon Bryce Poland from Erie, Pennsylvania, were arrested. Officials say they had a fire starter, gun and a hammer.
“They were not from here. They arrived with weapons and ingredients for an incendiary device, they purposely inserted themselves into a constitutionally protected protest, with a design exploited for their own purposes. And then they were later found in the midst of unprecedented rioting and looting in the streets of our city,” said Herdman.
Police are also looking for two men wanted for rioting and arson, as well as a woman, wanted for vandalism and theft, seen in photos holding a baseball bat.
The city is also reminding businesses about the resources available through Restart CLE, that include loans that can reimburse for expenses like rent, utilities, and personal protective equipment, such as masks and gloves. Debt relief for existing city loans is also available.
Cohen says so far he’s seen a lot of support for the arcades hit by civil unrest.
“We had a lot of cooperation from the landlord, from a lot of volunteers, were down here, right after this happened and helping everybody, all the tenants with the cleanup. So, there’s been tremendous support from the city of Cleveland,” said Cohen. “Cleveland has a lot of great people.”
