Community leaders in Cincinnati met Monday, August 10, at New Prospect Baptist Church to discuss concerns about transparency about the city’s handling of the downtown fight that has garnered national attention.
Rev. Damon Lynch III showed videos of violent White on White attaks on the Banks downtown, including a woman thrown to the ground and beaten, and said those videos did not go viral and no one was charged in those recent incidents. “They weren’t racial enough,” Pastor Lynch said, adding that the Black people in those videos were pulling the White people off of each other and trying to restore peace. And then Pastor Lynch showed the segment of the video of the violent fight that occured around 3 a.m. on Saturday, July 26, on 4th & Elm Streets downtown. A group of White men could be seen squaring off and seemingly encouraging a group of Black men to fight. One White man and one Black man seemed to lunge at each other. One man, who appeared to be Black, moved between the two to keep the parties apart and then the White man slapped the Black man. A violent brawl immediately followed. Local leaders spoke about the videos, the brawl and law enforcement’s response in the weeks that have followed. So far, five Black men and two Black women have been charged and arrested, and could be facing more than 29 years of imprisonment. None of the White men have been charged.
Ohio State Representative Cecil Thomas began by questioning why Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge and other officials have not announced any charges for a man involved in the fight who appeared to slap another man toward the beginning of the altercation.
Judge Tracie Hunter reviewed Ohio Revised Code 2917.01 and 2917.02 to show that the evidence presented to the public shows that the White man who slapped the Black man in the video meets the criterian for inciting violence under Ohio Law.
Councilmember Scotty Johnson and Vice Mayor Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney agreed that it is amiscarriage of justice to only charge the individuas involved in the fight and not include those who incited the violence.
Thomas said the lack of charges for a person who appeared to have incited the fight “raises serious questions on whether there is bias involved in the investigation.” All seven charged were Black. None of the White individuals involved have been charged.
“The Black community of this city demands to be respected and until justice is fully served, this city cannot and will not move forward,” said Thomas.
“So, what incited and who incited the riot?” said Lynch. “If the riot is because of the slap, who incited the riot? And how are the only people charged — I’ll say it again — the ones who look like me?”
Johnson also spoke on city leaders’ responsibilities in the time since the fight and said, “We as a city have blown this one. We as a city have missed the mark on this one. We missed it as a city, I’m one of those people. But now we have to get back on the right track. We are not going anywhere until justice prevails.”
Johnson added, “There is something in the chamber (City Council) that is coming if there isn’t a move to justice.”
“We haven’t seen justice in this case and we’ve waited a long time — two weeks is a long time,” said Kearney. “It’s time to make these charges, it’s time to do that today.” Kearney said the video showed that the man who slapped the other man was the proximate cause of the violence, and should not escape charges and arrest.
Pastor Lesley Jones called for the arrest of every individual involved in the fight on July 26, regardless of their race or socioeconomic background. “Our young people are restless and they’re watching,” said Jones. “Our community is restless and they’re watching.”
Johnson said he doesn’t want to see Cincinnati move backward after 24 years of work since Cincinnati’s famed Collaborative Agreement, which has since become the model for other cities on police relationships with communities of color.
Thomas said when he asked CPD leadership about any additional arrests in the case, he was told multiple times that “additional arrests are imminent.” He said he waited, only to see that six [a seventh was arrested after the press conference] Black people were charged in connection with the fight — but not the White man who appeared to slap a Black man in the face.
“We need transparency,” said Thomas. “There are a lot of questions and concerns and this is why we’re having this meeting today. We are demanding openness and transparency to cover the entire situation from beginning to end.”
Community members also raised questions around whether the six people — who were just indicted Friday on extra charges through Ohio’s complicity laws — have been over-charged. Each of the six suspects were indicted on two counts of aggravated rioting, three counts of assault and three counts of felonious assault. They each face up to 29.5 years in prison if convicted on all charges.
“Can you imagine facing 29 and a half years all because you got in a fight, and the man who started the fight lost?” said Lynch.
My understanding is a while male started the whole thing.
Prosecute him too. Stop playing the race game y’all
Extremely irritated by the lack of holding all people responsible for the brawl.
Do the right thing!
I am glad it wasn’t worse – you know what I mean.
Everyone even those who slapped another man should be jailed.
Let’s respect each other more – stop drinking so much too.
Hope this will be handled legally.
Punishments should be for all involved!