Two journalists, 13 others arrested and charged during immigration protest in Ohio

Two journalists were among 13 people arrested during a demonstration in Ohio as demonstrators blocked traffic to protest the immigration detention of someone the Department of Homeland Security had said was flagged on the terror watchlist. 

Among those arrested were CityBeat reporter Madeline Fening and photography intern Lucas Griffith, who were covering the protest for the Cincinnati-based news outlet. CityBeat editor-in-chief Ashley Moor confirmed that both journalists were charged with felony rioting and additional charges.

The protest in Ohio was in response to the detention of Ayman Soliman, an Egyptian national who had worked as a chaplain at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. Soliman was taken into custody last week during a routine check-in with ICE near Cincinnati. The Department of Homeland Security stated that Soliman had been “flagged on the FBI terror watchlist.”

Demonstrators gathered in downtown Cincinnati and marched across a bridge between Cincinnati, Ohio, and Covington, Kentucky, blocking traffic and holding a banner that read “Build Bridges Not Walls.” The protest led to a police response from Covington officers, who said protesters refused to comply with orders to disperse. According to the AP, the Covington Police Department said officers initially attempted to communicate with protest organizers but were threatened.

Charges for those arrested include rioting, failure to disperse, obstructing emergency responders, criminal mischief, and disorderly conduct. All 13 individuals are being held on $2,500 bond.

“While the department supports the public’s right to peaceful assembly and expression, threatening officers and blocking critical infrastructure, such as a major bridge, presents a danger to all involved,” Covington Police said in a statement.