Covington Police arrested more than a dozen people, including two reporters, who were among a large group marching across the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge Thursday evening.
The marchers were protesting the ICE detention of Imam Ayman Soliman, an Egyptian immigrant and former chaplain at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. Soliman was detained July 9 after his asylum status was revoked.
The protest started after a vigil at The Banks in Cincinnati organized by Ignite Peace, Ohio Poor People鈥檚 Campaign, SURJ Cincinnati, and area faith leaders.
Following remarks by speakers advocating for Soliman, dozens marched in the south lane of the Roebling Bridge at about 8 p.m. The march was not sanctioned by the organizers of the vigil, marchers said.
The protest caused tension. As it began, a driver in a black sedan pulled up and honked and gestured at protesters in the roundabout approaching the Cincinnati side of the bridge and indicated he was calling police.
As marchers entered the north side of the bridge, another vehicle, a black SUV, sped past marshals attempting to block the road and appeared to come very close to or actually make contact with two marchers.
March organizers in yellow vests confronted the driver of the vehicle and attempted to block it from the bulk of the march; it eventually passed and proceeded over the bridge.
Covington Police and other Kentucky law enforcement officers blocked the bridge with multiple squad cars near its halfway point.
Officers ordered the marchers onto the pedestrian walkways lining the bridge, then quickly began making arrests.
Protesters yelled and chanted at police. Police deployed non-lethal projectiles. At least one police dog was walked onto the bridge. Multiple marchers were Tazed. An officer struck an arrestee on the bridge's eastern pedestrian walkway with his fists while the person was lying on the ground.
Urban Native Collective CEO Briana Mazzolini-Blanchard says she was at the march with her 9-year-old child.
"To doubt that it was anything but a peaceful demonstration is abhorrent," she said. "The escalation was not brought on by faith leaders and elders in the community, who were peacefully walking. The escalation was by the police."
A WVXU reporter . Warning: The video contains language some might find offensive.
"While the department supports the public鈥檚 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 news release.
The department arrested 13 people, according to the release, though a WVXU reporter at arraignments Friday morning counted more than that. WVXU is working to confirm the number. They face charges including rioting in the first degree, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, failure to disperse, criminal mischief, obstructing a highway, and others.
At least three of those arrested were sent to the hospital for injuries sustained during the arrests according to attorney Benjamin Pugh, who is representing protesters.
The rioting charge is a Class D felony punishable by up to five years in prison. The others are misdemeanor charges punishable by 90 days in jail.
The arrested protesters were arraigned Friday, July 18, in Kenton County Court before Judge Douglas J. Grothaus. Each was given $2,500 bond and will have further preliminary hearings July 23. The judge advised them all to "stay off the Roebling bridge."
Ignite Peace, one of the organizers of the vigil before the march, issued a statement condemning law enforcement's response.
鈥淚gnite Peace believes we can build a nonviolent society, and during the vigil we stood with people who believe that we are in difficult times, that we can be brave, and that we must demonstrate and deepen this solidarity and commitment to nonviolence," Executive Director Shannon Hughes said in the statement. "We are heartbroken by the police violence that occurred after the vigil, and the inappropriate force with which peaceful marchers were met. We need to heal, and to practice care for our community in our ongoing work toward justice and peace.鈥�
Read more: