Some of Cincinnati's most vocal African-American activists plan to urge downtown shopping boycotts today and parade throughout the city to protest the death of a man two weeks ago in police custody.

        “We are calling for all African-Americans and all fair-minded people to stand and demand equality in legal, social and economic arenas,” said Juleanna Frierson of the group Cincinnati Black United Front.

        The group will hold a 2 p.m. press conference to talk about boycotting businesses from Central Parkway to the river throughout the holiday shopping season.

        Cincinnati Black United Front is possibly best known for its boycotts of downtown restaurants after some closed in July during the Ujima and Coors Light Jazz festivals.

        Also today, members of a group called Special Forces say they'll drive and walk from the Roselawn gas station parking lot where Roger Owensby died Nov. 7 in police custody to City Hall and the Hamilton County Courthouse. .

        They'll be carrying a casket, an attention-grabber during protests in 1997 of the death of an African-American man who was shot after wielding a brick at police officers.

        Special Forces members will start at Integrity Hall, across the street from the scene of Mr. Owensby's death. They plan also to make stops at Swifton Commons mall and WCIN Radio before heading downtown. They plan to deliver a message to Hamilton County Prosecutor Mike Allen, organizer William Kirkland said, and to rally outside City Hall for the resignation of City Manager John Shirey.

        “We will not sit idly by and allow these insidious schemes to happen,” he said.

        Mr. Allen met again Tuesday with homicide detectives working on the case, but said it was too soon to say anything more developments.

        An attorney for the Owensby family, John Helbling, said Tuesday he wanted to wait to comment about any part of the controversy until police finish the investigation.

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