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| A prayer circle forms after a group displaying swastika flags was seen demonstrating on an Interstate 75 overpass in Evendale, Ohio, on Friday afternoon. |
Many are now calling for an investigation into the response by Evendale police and Hamilton County sheriff’s deputies following Friday afternoon’s demonstration on the Interstate 75 overpass. The location, positioned between the Village of Evendale and Lincoln Heights—a historically Black community—heightened concerns.
Critics are demanding answers as to why none of the neo-Nazi demonstrators were arrested, especially after tensions escalated when community members confronted the group, with firearms visible on both sides.
Rev. Julian Armand Cook of Lincoln Heights Missionary Baptist Church described the demonstration, which included swastika-emblazoned flags, as deeply disturbing.
"To see it appear at the gateway to this historic community—the first and oldest Black self-governed city north of the Mason-Dixon Line—sends a very clear message," Cook said. "I was angry. I was hurt. I was shocked."
Evendale police issued a statement Tuesday defending their handling of the situation, emphasizing their duty to protect First Amendment rights. They acknowledged that the demonstration was conducted without a permit but maintained that it was still legal. Officers opted not to ticket demonstrators for minor infractions—such as transporting people in the back of a box truck without seatbelts—citing a focus on preventing violence.
At a Tuesday night village meeting, Lincoln Heights resident Eric Ruffin recounted a disturbing encounter.
"One of the demonstrators called me a racial slur," he said. "Do you want a community where you don’t feel safe?"
Police argued that they faced a volatile situation and prioritized de-escalation to prevent injury or loss of life.
"One of the groups was heavily armed, and tensions between opposing sides were escalating," the department stated. "Our overriding priority was to isolate groups, limit new participants, and further de-escalate the situation."
To achieve that, officers allowed a U-Haul box truck carrying the neo-Nazis to pass through counterdemonstrators. An officer also provided a ride to one of the demonstrators, citing safety concerns due to counterprotesters blocking the pathway to their vehicle.
Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey echoed the de-escalation rationale in a separate statement.
"Lincoln Heights residents are understandably upset," she said. "We continue to work with the community and emphasize that there is no place for hate in Hamilton County."
The Village of Evendale has held two town hall meetings on the issue, and the incident was also discussed at a Hamilton County Board of Commissioners meeting on Tuesday.
"We had questions about why no arrests were made despite clear violations of the law," Cook said.
State Rep. Cecil Thomas, D-Cincinnati, signaled his support for legislation granting law enforcement more authority to arrest demonstrators in similar future situations.
"I can guarantee you we will take action so that if this happens again, law enforcement will have the authority to intervene," Thomas said Monday at a community meeting, according to NBC affiliate WLWT of Cincinnati.
County Commissioner Alicia Reece also called for an investigation, arguing that demonstrators were treated too leniently while residents were left to fend for themselves.
"They had to go into their own homes, get their own guns, and risk their own lives," Reece said in a video from the commission meeting that she later shared on Facebook. "And they felt that the only thing being defended was the Nazis."
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