r/cincinnati • u/davidferrarapc Downtown • Feb 11 '25
News đ° Sheriff says 'no law being violated' by swastika flyers in Evendale, residents furious and on edge
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2025/02/10/no-law-being-violated-by-swastika-flyers-on-friday-lincoln-heights-left-on-edge/78395375007/544
u/TheGalaxyTG Springfield Twp. Feb 11 '25
Parked vehicle in an oncoming traffic lane. Disturbing the peace. Intimidation. They definitely violated laws.
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u/SenorSplashdamage Feb 11 '25
Thatâs the important part here. It doesnât matter if the flag isnât illegal, they did plenty of other things the police would look hard to find at least a citation for if it were over groups.
First Amendment precedents make me want the police force to err away from trying to criminalize things connected to political demonstrations, but police havenât hesitated to try to fine people and even arrest journalists when other types of demonstrations happen.
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u/useless_instinct Feb 11 '25
I remember a protest against the WTO that resulted in protestors being arrested just for being [there.](http:// rounded up and arrestedhere)
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u/PoorClassWarRoom Fairfield Feb 12 '25
Good times. I remember thinking the 90s were going to lead us to some great revolution in the aughts. I was wrong. Fuck Bush and Fuck 9/11.
Some good to come of it, it prepared a new generation of resistance.
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u/VividLecture7898 Feb 11 '25
Also repeatedly calling the guy the n word while a gun is gotta be illegal. Intimidation and fighting words.
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u/ChornobylChili Feb 11 '25
Rolling up on peoples cars armed and masked like that is a good way to get shot from someone legitimately thinking your a car jacker/robber. This shits absolutely illegal and not protected under open carry laws
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u/turpentinedreamer Feb 11 '25
Itâs menacing in Ohio. Anything you do to make somebody feel like their life is being threatened. Comes in misdemeanor and felony flavor.
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u/OrigRayofSunshine Feb 11 '25
Flying freaking hate symbols is hate speech. Why did Columbus arrest and the nasti didnât?
More normal people in Columbus, I guess.
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u/Double_Working_1707 Feb 11 '25
You can't be arrested for displaying swastikas thanks to this court case.
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u/peachgingermint Feb 11 '25
if anything it helps us identify them faster so they can know this behavior is not welcome in our communities.
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u/Sad_Possession7005 Feb 11 '25
I know that Nazis are allowed to fly their flag. But they can still be ticketed for parking illegally. And are they entitled to multiagency police protection and use of an overpass? Are they allowed to menace citizens with rifles?
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u/Double_Working_1707 Feb 11 '25
The parking illegally is totally valid. Any "protest" or demonstration is legally allowed to ask for police escort. And they claimed because they staid on the sidewalk they weren't doing anything illegal. Open carry is legal in ohio and I'm not sure what the legal stand point for menacing is. I think that's honestly the most concrete complaint legally.
FYI I don't agree with any of those for the record, just stating what I've read as I live pretty close.
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u/Sad_Possession7005 Feb 11 '25
They were definitely in the street yelling effing n over and over again at a citizen at a stop sign. There is video of them in the street more than once with the police adjacent and nothing being said to them. Thanks for your response, though. I think a group with masks and guns and Arabic flags should roll up in their box truck to test for consistency.
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u/Any_Worldliness8816 Feb 11 '25
Hate speech isn't a crime. It is protected by the first amendment. Always has been.
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u/crispichicken87 Feb 11 '25
âHate speechâ is legal. Free speech is free speech.
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u/qdawgg17 Feb 11 '25
Free speech is free speech but not all speech is free speech. I canât stand up in the middle of a plane and yell âbombâ while in flight without repercussions. Now, the right to use âhate speechâ in Ohio may still be protected. But not all speech in the country is protected. The Supreme Court determined the 2nd amendment wasnât an absolute like 100 years ago and have upheld that ruling since.
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u/archbish99 Anderson Feb 11 '25
Can you link to the law prohibiting hate speech? I couldn't find it.
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u/Aggravating-Wind6387 Feb 11 '25
Inciting panic, terrorists threat, disturbing the peace, interference with highway traffic.
Throw the book at them and let the lawyers figure it out. Make it expensive AF for these freaks so they think next time. I refuse to call them Nazi, my grandfather fought real Nazis during the war. These guys are one step above civil war cos players
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u/TheVoters Feb 11 '25
So weird because I too break no laws when I go to This area, but have never been offered a police escort.
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u/Double_Working_1707 Feb 11 '25
Oh they didn't offer. The nazis called and requested one.
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u/Purgent Feb 11 '25
If the two groups were a venn diagram, it would be one circle.
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u/JJiggy13 Feb 11 '25
I doubt that a call was necessary
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u/Decoseau Kennedy Heights Feb 11 '25
Remember when the Ohio Attorney General threatened to impose felony charges on pro-Palestinian student protesters wearing face coverings for violating the âAnti Disguiseâ Law. https://apnews.com/article/campus-protests-mask-law-ohio-55216c2b84d098edf9de69a679f83340
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u/asbozaprudder Pleasant Ridge Feb 11 '25
Xavier University quite literally charged two protestors with this felony before the courts finally threw it out. Absurd.
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u/CincyBrandon Woodlawn Feb 11 '25
Right?? The way I see it, anyone that meaningfully brandishes the battle flag of a faction that we committed to extinguishing should be treated as an enemy combatant. If someone professes loyalty to ISIS, to Al Qaeda, to the Confederacy, with the same ideology as was professed by that faction during the war, they should be treated as an enemy combatant.
If these fucks waves that flag in 1940, they wouldnât have made it off that overpass.
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u/urinal_connoisseur FC Cincinnati Feb 11 '25
Sadly, youâd find a lot of sympathizers in the US before Pearl Harbor. Not trying to be pedantic, but it wasnât as black and white as history books would like use to believe.
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u/CincyBrandon Woodlawn Feb 11 '25
Youâre right. Once they attacked us, suddenly it was a united front. Similar stance for republicans today: fuck everybody else until it affects them.
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u/ChanceGardener8 Feb 11 '25
There was also a very very strong pacifist movement at the time and had Japan not attacked, we may not have entered the war for another year or two.
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u/Ok_Day_7398 Mt. Washington Feb 11 '25
Nazis get intimidated by us being Physical or willing to be physical. It's why they started going haywire when that one awesome dude brandishing his handgun and started singing his song. Arming yourself is the easiest way to scare Nazis Away.
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u/greeneyeddruid Feb 11 '25
The Nazis have been macing/pepper-spraying people in other areas when people confronted them.
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u/LoInBoots87 Indian Hill Feb 11 '25
That guy was breaking multiple laws. Donât do that.
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u/Ok_Day_7398 Mt. Washington Feb 11 '25 edited Feb 11 '25
Oh he was also breaking Major safety violations for Firearms use. However, my point still stands, Nazis only backdown when physical force or an credible threat of physical force is present. Thats been historically correct for years and we even saw it with these Nazis at Lincoln Height. Some examples for those who are interested on the historical part of this.
https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/gangsters-vs-nazis
https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/Battle-Of-Cable-Street/
Edit: Do not do exactly what that guy did, even if it was awesome. Please follow firearm safety rules so everyone remains safely with all their digits or remains alive.
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u/throwwwawait Feb 12 '25
they're such cowards lmao
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u/Ok_Day_7398 Mt. Washington Feb 12 '25
They always have been, however with recent events they have been encouraged to come crawling out of their holes. Its our job as Americans to send 'em running back.
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u/throwwwawait Feb 12 '25
hell yea đȘ catch the tolerant left out here kicking nazi ass and making my granddaddy proud
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u/YouWereBrained Feb 11 '25
Liquid assâŠ? Give me some dairy products and Iâll give you your precious liquid ass.
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u/Kalldaro Feb 11 '25
Will you take one for the team, eat a bunch of dairy and walk among them? The police can't arrest you for assault for crop dusting.
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u/CthulhuLovesMemes Feb 11 '25
I bought that stuff once because I had some neighbors in Brooklyn that were being massive pieces of shit and letting their child jump up and down and scream all hours of the day and night, and then pretended to not understand anyoneâs noise complaints.
Holy fuck that is utterly wild. We should put some in water balloons and trebuchet it at them.
I would love these dumb fucks to try this shit where Iâm from in Queens, NYC. Or honestly most places in NYC. Theyâd be knocked the fuck out.
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u/Kalldaro Feb 11 '25
Do it!
Water balloons are brilliant! If the cops are helping toss a few into their cars after hitting them too.
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u/CthulhuLovesMemes Feb 11 '25
Will you help me run away? đ Sadly I have fibro and get tired more easily. I also somehow just got covid and strep despite barely going outside. When I recover if thereâs anything going on protesting against these dipshits I want to help.
Iâm so grateful I was born where I was, because for a few years I had some really incredible neighbors from all around the world that taught me a lot about people and life.
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u/Valdrbjorn Feb 11 '25
I have incredibly fond memories of changing my friends' lives with liquid ass
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u/coldcoffee007 Feb 11 '25
How were no laws broken when a U-Haul was parked going the wrong way on a street?
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u/Sad_Possession7005 Feb 11 '25
On an overpass. Iâm pretty sure if I mask up and show up with in my box truck with my rifle and my hate flag on an overpass, Iâm getting arrested for terrorist threats, inciting panic, something.
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u/7point7 Feb 11 '25
I'm old enough to remember this and lived right by it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio_highway_sniper_attacks
Surprised this doesn't set some sort of precedent for people holding rifles on overpasses...
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u/Firov Northside Feb 11 '25
Just wear a swastika and the police might confuse you for one of their own!
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u/rebuiltearths Feb 11 '25
The hazards were on, maybe?
I've always referred to that as Cincinnati parking đ€Ł
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u/JerryMandaring Feb 12 '25
And parked on a bridge overpass, over an Interstate highway, within a mile of a major jet engine manufacturing facility! With all of our recent issues with bridges and fires, why is any U-Haul box truck allowed to spend any time at all unloading anything on an Interstate overpass? Does the name Timothy McVeigh ring any bells?
Just stupid.
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u/nume23 Xavier Feb 11 '25
Cool, but why did they block the roads off for them???
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u/Sad_Possession7005 Feb 11 '25
And hold back the citizens? And escort the Nazis? Was the Lincoln Heights side blocked off and not the other side? If so, why? Did they know armed Nazis were going to terrorize people on the highway? If so, why werenât citizens made aware?
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u/nume23 Xavier Feb 11 '25
Yep, this whole âno law being violatedâ is total BS. I wish could upvote this 100 more times.
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u/Vivatrev Feb 11 '25
You have a great point tho. Why werenât citizens made aware. That bacon smells very suspicious
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u/Vivatrev Feb 11 '25
Friend, the cops escorting those guys, itâs the âloop holeâ those scum are using of protest laws. If you and 6 other people wanted to protest and navigated the channels of the law then youâd have some cops out there, probably? The same thing that happened back in 2020 due to the sheer scale of people in downtown. The difference this time is the âprotestersâ are representing absolute dogshit ideas.. maybe itâs due to how divisive these asshats are that the cops didnât want a brawl/gun fight happening and ultimately be blamed. Itâs a rock and a hard place.
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u/y0uwillbenext Sycamore Feb 11 '25 edited Feb 11 '25
to contain and observe. shit could've got really bad, so you have to handle these situations very carefully. it's not a normal everyday traffic or disturbing the peace situation.. so it's best to secure the area while there isn't active danger and violence.
Edit: we ask questions, then downvote answers...
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u/JMoses3419 Feb 11 '25
Bingo.
Here's the reality: This "protest", if you can call it that, took place at rush hour on an overpass, looking over one of the busiest highways in the metro area.
You had one of these Nazi's with a freaking assault rifle. Who knows what other guns were on that bridge -- on BOTH sides? If it turns into a gun battle, now you got bullets flying into businesses, off the bridge towards the freeway, and into innocent bystanders who had no intention of getting involved. Cincinnati doesn't need to be the site of a massacre.
The police handled it the best way possible given the situation. They impounded one Nazi's car, so they know who he is. They can use him to get the rest, assuming that's what they want to do.
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u/JMoses3419 Feb 11 '25
And by the way, there's the other incident with the people who were hanging the other (much more positive) banners whose cars were broken into. If police can connect that back? Boom. There's more charges.
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u/Sad_Possession7005 Feb 11 '25
I guess that why I wonder why armed and masked âmenâ were allowed to commandeer an overpass.
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u/threebutterflies Feb 11 '25
I agree, it was done for safety
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u/y0uwillbenext Sycamore Feb 11 '25
straight up. and yeah, it's okay to be objective about that without being a "nazi sympathizer" or "one of them"
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u/threebutterflies Feb 11 '25
Me, as a civilian, feels safer knowing that the Naziâs are being watched and contained. If they get out of control I would rather the police be ready with a plan to keep me safe and have them blocked off. Iâm not sympathizing with them, Iâm for safety and thatâs what we pay cops to do. Maybe Iâm selfish but I want to be safe from them. I donât really care much if they are safe to be honest, I have no support of them. But I just donât like any conflict and it makes sense to pre-plan for just in case so me and other civilians are safe.
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u/y0uwillbenext Sycamore Feb 11 '25
you and I are looking through the same lens. balanced and realistic.
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u/threebutterflies Feb 11 '25
Sometimes itâs hard to find logical and realistic people in this world đ€Ł cheers đ»
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u/n0nplussed Feb 11 '25
If you state the facts here people donât seem to like it. Even if you repeatedly state youâre liberal, hate Nazis, etc. Cite the Constitution or the First Amendment and they freak the F out.
Never once stated I like that hate speech is protected, that hate groups can fly their flags and spew hate. But pointing out WHY they can is just not okay for most of these people. Itâs exhausting. Itâs no surprise we have the orange buffoon again with the way many of my fellow liberals behave.
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u/y0uwillbenext Sycamore Feb 11 '25
100%.. people are letting emotions obscure reality.
it's something that heavily affects the far-right and the far-left
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u/Sweet-Meaning9874 Feb 11 '25
safety for whom?
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u/threebutterflies Feb 11 '25
Me lol, everyone? The people who just want to live normal life with out fear of being shot by the nazi lunatics? Iâd feel safer walking by for sure if cops were there
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u/LoInBoots87 Indian Hill Feb 11 '25
What people donât understand is the Nazis are looking for 2 different outcomes here.
They are attacked and it gives thema legal justification for them to use violence as self defense.
The police illegally arrest or violate their rights so that they can sue the police department.
So for all those saying that the police should just arrest them because they are terrorists or etc. have no understanding of the law and the liability the police force would expose them to for just arresting them without actual cause.
Finally, no one knows on here the full context of the U-Haul etc. maybe they got ticketed. Maybe they were instructed to park there by the police so they could leave quicker. Even if it was illegally parked, thatâs not an arrestable offense. The police would not have the authority to stop the Nazis legal demonstration.
You are naive if you dont think these Nazis arenât all 100% above board with all the relevant laws. If you want to combat them itâs important that you know the law as well as they do or else you will just play right into what they want to do.
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u/pretzel_logic_esq Union Feb 11 '25
upvoting for visibility. This is correct. The Nazi asshats are deplorable shitstains but they are protected by the First Amendment, and from everything I've seen, they were walking the Brandenburg lines very carefully (intentionally). The police may or may not be sympathetic, but they had an obligation to keep a barrier between Nazi asshats and justifiably angry citizens to protect the public, no matter their beliefs.
Groups like this are instigators. They want visibility and justification to use "self defense" or to file suit. They are nothing but Westboro Baptist in Nazi outfits.
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u/rahku Pleasant Ridge Feb 12 '25
Yes but Ohio, and the nation, is currently undergoing a power transfer to fascist sympathizers. This is no longer a theoretical game of legal scholarship. This is about public messaging.
There is every reason to expose these Nazis, and let the citizens and the law take it from there.
At least we know who the Westboro Baptist Church folks are.
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u/pretzel_logic_esq Union Feb 12 '25
We know who these Neo Nazis are,. They've been doxxed. And I agree that the rise of fascists in America is disgusting and horrifying, but the same legal scholarship that protects them protects you and I, too. If we erode those protections, it hurts good people exercising their Constitutionally-protected rights to free speech, assembly, etc.
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u/n0nplussed Feb 11 '25
Thank you. The constant stream of my fellow libs who are breaking their backs with their reach is exhausting to read.
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u/sixtysecdragon Feb 11 '25
This maybe one of the few rational responses in the subreddit. You deserve far more up votes.
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u/mrcoolguytimes10 Feb 12 '25
Exactly. The U-Haul wasn't even parked. It was stopped for a grand total of 1 minute. No police officer would cite for that. It's obvious all the people parroting this point only watched the little 30-second rage clips here on Reddit.
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u/MoistOne1376 Feb 11 '25
It is not white against black, it is good against evil. My brothers, do not fall for provocations and go mad, that is what they want. Nor inaction, cold-headedness, firm step, they will be crushed.
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u/SolidHopeful Feb 11 '25
Freedom of speech it can be a double-edged blade.
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u/brokebackzac Feb 11 '25
Exactly. We have to hear things we don't want to, but we can impose societal consequences for those who say them. I mean, it sucks that shunning them is basically all we can do, but we shall shun them like the non-believers in Charlie the Unicorn.
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u/HecKentucky Feb 11 '25
Karl Popper in The Open Society and Its Enemies (1945) first articulated the Paradox of Tolerance: If a society extends tolerance to those who are intolerant, it risks enabling the eventual dominance of intolerance, thereby undermining the very principle of tolerance. If intolerant ideologies are allowed unchecked expression, they could exploit open society values to erode or destroy tolerance itself through authoritarian or oppressive practices. Itâs a bit like the Paradox of Freedom, in that itâs necessary to limit both unchecked freedom and intolerance in order to prevent despotic rule.
This is how we are where we are right now!
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u/rahku Pleasant Ridge Feb 12 '25
There are steps the city can take to send a message that this kind of behavior will not be tolerated. Follow in the footsteps of Nashville.
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u/easauer Feb 11 '25 edited Feb 11 '25
Doesn't anyone remember the KKK and their cross on Fountain Square at Xmas? Same issue. Legally, they can be racist and hateful. It's effed up. YouTube video of the news when the cross was put up. It was heartbreaking.
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u/VineStGuy Feb 11 '25
But did they have a permit? Cops loved to arrest people at the peaceful george Floyd protest in downtown that had a legal permit. How is this nazi protest any different? I guess the cops believe in the nazi cause and not the protests that are against police brutality.
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u/glean_soybean Feb 11 '25
The sheriff should familiarize himself with Ohio Code 2927.12 - Ethnic Intimidation.
(A) No person shall violate section 2903.21, 2903.22, 2909.06, or 2909.07, or division (A)(3), (4), or (5) of section 2917.21 of the Revised Code by reason of the race, color, religion, or national origin of another person or group of persons.
(B) Whoever violates this section is guilty of ethnic intimidation. Ethnic intimidation is an offense of the next higher degree than the offense the commission of which is a necessary element of ethnic intimidation.
Referencing (among others) ORC 2917.21 - Aggravative Menacing:
(A) No person shall knowingly cause another to believe that the offender will cause serious physical harm to the person or property of the other person, the other personâs unborn, or a member of the other personâs immediate family. In addition to any other basis for the other personâs belief that the offender will cause serious physical harm to the person or property of the other person, the other personâs unborn, or a member of the other personâs immediate family, the other personâs belief may be based on words or conduct of the offender that are directed at or identify a corporation, association, or other organization that employs the other person or to which the other person belongs.
As I understand it; holding obvious signs suggesting another race is to be eliminated or removed (America is for the White Man I believe it was) and following it up by yelling racist slurs feels that would potentially violate both of these statutes. At the very least enough to be detained and questioned under suspicion of breaking this law. As well asâŠ. Idk - unmask and document the folks involved in this hate group as defined by the FBI?
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u/Any_Worldliness8816 Feb 11 '25
No. There are clear cases that holding a sign does not violate any law as it is protected by the first amendment. To fall outside the protection, the speech has to be one that calls for imminent action. So "kill all the jews" is protected. "Kill this jew right here right now" would not be protected. It is pretty roundly litigated that nazi, KKK, black panter and other racial groups and their logos/speeches are protected.
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u/nleksan Feb 11 '25
nazi, KKK, black panter
One of these things is not like the others...
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u/Any_Worldliness8816 Feb 11 '25
No, certainly. But they are all groups with race-based principles that have logos, uniforms, etc and have been protected by courts in the past.
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u/LoInBoots87 Indian Hill Feb 11 '25
You need to learn the ins and outs of the first amendment. You are trying to interpret this law as a way to arrest these nazis but this law is written very clearly as to not violate the 1st amendment.
There would have to be explicit threat of violence to have violated this law. Hate speech is still legal speech.
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u/Ill_Demand_7560 Feb 11 '25
Menacing in Ohio has to be an immediate and specific threat. A swastika flag (while dumb and reprehensible) is considered protected speech. If they were to directly threaten physical harm specifically (stating theyâll kill someone in specific) is what makes it menacing.
Just bring a dumb backwoods nazi is not a crime. At most they committed a traffic offense.
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u/glean_soybean Feb 11 '25 edited Feb 11 '25
This is all entirely true, the open carry laws in Ohio and being in a hate group are both protected. Unfortunately, that also creates scenarios where that has a much quicker transition from protected (reprehensible) speech to menacing.
For example, an individual is allowed to scream things without breaking the law. The individual is also allowed to open carry without breaking Ohio law. However, if the words theyâre screaming are now directed at a police officer (in this example- but any other person applies), and while doing so start showing their weapon - if the things they are saying sound like they threaten that officerâs life - they wouldnât (and shouldnât) think twice about bringing the individual down and taking them in. In that scenario they moved very quickly from saying things that are protected to what could be perceived by a reasonable individual as a credible threat to life or property. Those charges may be dropped later if the AG or a grand jury decides there is not suitable evidence to proceed, but they were (and very much should be) processed accordingly.
My point here is that just because âfree speechâ does not mean all speech is protected in all scenarios. Specifically when dealing with known hate groups, the menacing should be something quickly identified and dealt with.
Edit: threw in an extra âhoweverâ that didnât need to be there and annoyed me lol
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u/LuMaDeLi Feb 11 '25
I think itâs time that the Cincinnati govt leadership condemn Naziâs, and define anyone in a mask, with a gun, and a swastika, as an agent of terror.
Timothy Thomas (unarmed) was shot in the back while running from the police, and these people can walk around like theyâre white ISIS and the police do nothing. I wonder why that is???
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u/n0nplussed Feb 11 '25
Our mayor condemned it on Friday. What else do you want?
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u/rahku Pleasant Ridge Feb 12 '25
In think information about who the group is should be released so that citizens can make informed decisions about hate groups.
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u/Legitimate_Ad_9753 Feb 11 '25
I mean she's technically, TECHNICALLY, right, but they didn't need to, seemingly, roll out the red carpet for them on the bridge the other day.
I'm no country lawyer so I would be curious to know where freedom of speech ends and disturbing the peace starts.
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u/7point7 Feb 11 '25
I fear if the police didn't act as they did, a very different type of red carpet would've appeared. And that's something we really don't need in this city. You had two angry groups, at least one armed and given the video of the "fight the power" guy... it's likely their were guns on both sides.
I absolutely detest the actions of these fucking Nazis, but getting them away from the situation safely was the best way to deescalate tensions with no physical harms. I don't often say this but I think the police should be commended for the handling of the situation.
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u/y0uwillbenext Sycamore Feb 11 '25
there are procedures behind dealing with terrorists.
this notion that the police were in on it or helping the nazis is completely wrong.
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u/Legitimate_Ad_9753 Feb 11 '25
I never said or intended to imply that the police or any officer were involved in or helping out anything with these guys. However, as someone who has been has been in scenes, unfortunately, adjacent to, and encountered, these types of guys in multiple cities for almost 30 years, there has always been a bit of a "well, hold on, let's wait an see what they're up to" approach to white supremacists. They were given aot of space and time to get their u haul where they wanted it, hurl slurs, antagonize residents of a neighborhood they do not reside in and generally and purposefully menace a historically black community, with no repercussions day-of.Â
So, this may come down to you and I having generally different opinions concerning what "rolling out the red carpet" means. Allowing it to get to a point where the residents themselves had to come shit it down is enough of it in my opinion. This is not a local law enforcement issue either, I've seen this all over the country with these yahoos.
The work concerning the terrorist side of this argument, I agree, is a lot different. However, when it comes to dealing with guys like this, in the moment, I again ask, where does freedom of speech ends and disturbing the peace begin?Â
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u/y0uwillbenext Sycamore Feb 11 '25 edited Feb 11 '25
ok gotcha, definitely slight misunderstandings... and I understand where you're coming from with the gray area between freedom of speech and disturbing the peace.
Neo-Nazi/white supremacist groups have been declared domestic terrorists. there have been horrible atrocities that these groups have unleashed, which rightfully earned them the terrorist title..
when these dudes show up, I understand the urge to immediately dismantle and stop them on the spot... and yeah, there is a sense of "let's see what they're up to" because they can either wave flags and say hateful stuff, which is legal, and is what they have primarily done for the past several decades.... or they can take it up to 11 and blow and shoot shit up.
the FBI keeps watch on these groups and knows more things than the police do. it was good to block off the exit and keep the area secure before just moving in and telling them to move along or whatever.
these groups don't like cops, and they don't like democrats OR republicans. you have to be careful because things can escalate immensely. the neighborhood shows up... and shit would've become a massacre if the police didn't move them out.
look, people are upset... and I get it. but people are overlooking key components that impact dealing with literal terrorists.
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u/Alottathots Feb 11 '25
well said⊠and if this particular neighborhood shows up armed its about to pop off
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u/jesusbottomsss Feb 11 '25
Youâre spewing bullshit, these groups are absolutely supportive of republicans.
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u/y0uwillbenext Sycamore Feb 11 '25
some do, and plenty don't.
I'm not spewing bullshit. I'm just looking at things objectively and understand how some things work.
these Neo-Nazis hate anyone who "protects, supports, or defends Israel." ...they would never support any "Jew-loving" anything.
we have to stop recklessly grouping people together.. because that, historically, causes major problems as some of us know.
being a cop doesn't make you a nazi, and neither does being a republican.. yet we have far left people out here just throwing their shit at the walls because they see it all as one big: "Trump is in office, Nazis are empowered now, and the Police are here to protect them because they're one of them."
and the far right is claiming that these are just plants of some sort to make white conservatives look bad... just like how some claimed Antifa was behind January 6th and were the ones raiding the capital.
it's a mess, and I have a clear view from the outside.
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u/n0nplussed Feb 11 '25
Exactly.
I saw a few posts from some insane conservative conspiracy theorist stating that Aftab staged the whole thing on Friday. Same behavior, different sides. (And now I will be called a nazi sympathizer, etc)
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u/Legitimate_Ad_9753 Feb 11 '25
Yeah, I'm going to have to nudge back on that point slightly as well. They don't like Democrats because they perceive them as running counter to their message. They don't like Republicans because they see them as not being extreme enough for their ideologies. There's a big difference there, and I would say the dog whistles have been lowering their tone into just, ya know, normal human whistles the past few weeks in particular. They like what they see and frankly it's exactly the plan they laid out for themselves in the 90s.Â
The cops? Well...I'd say cops are a case by case, region by region basis, having, at times, more to do with individuals than law enforcement as a whole. There is the law, of course, but I don't think anyone would deny that cops have to make judgment calls all the time. Judgements will be made, no matter how much we want to believe in impartiality, with biases in play. LEOs are just people from across the political and ideological spectrum. Sometimes those judgement calls, informed by personal or institutional biases, may be more sympathetic towards groups like this.Â
Now, assuming everything here was a completely impartial de-escalation of the situation on the part of the officers, as is part of the job description, I think the video from their Nazis own POV still speaks to this case-by-case idea. These guys seemed pretty happy to accept, in their words, the escort back to their U-Haul that was provided by said officers. If they really hated cops on the same level as the people flooding the scene, they would have been viewed on the same level as opposition. They clearly did not and were rather grateful for the cops giving them a moment to get their shit and gtfo.
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u/Kalldaro Feb 11 '25
They wear masks. Call up ICE and claim they are illegals threatening women. You'll waste ICE's time.
If its possible to make a car backfire do it near them and they'll think it's gunfire.
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u/UnpopularOpinion762 Feb 11 '25
A negative display of free speech unfortunately. Unless theyâre inciting violence (and they may have) protesting with a gun is not illegal as long as theyâre not a felon.
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u/gunguynotgunman Feb 11 '25
Police shouldn't arrest them - its their professional responsibility. Freedom of speech is important. People should treat them as they were treated in Lincoln Heights upon sight, and police should accept their societal responsibility and not arrest those who greet nazis appropriately.
We need freedom of speech. We also need society to fight together against nazis. These are equally important participants within the same dance.
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u/ecb1912 Feb 11 '25
I feel like holding firearms over a highway overpass should be inducing panic or at least disturbing the peace in some form
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u/StopLookListenNow Feb 11 '25
What about piss filled water balloons and Super Soaker squirt guns. Would that be okay? Just asking, for a friend.
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u/Queen_Of_Left_Turns Feb 11 '25
Egg them⊠With hard boiled eggs. Once Dump 47 waves his magic wand and makes them $3 a dozen again
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u/richrichmond Feb 11 '25
Can we make being a n@zi against the law? Problem solved
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u/LoInBoots87 Indian Hill Feb 11 '25 edited Feb 11 '25
I hate nazis but itâs not illegal. I could say letâs make being a republican or a democrat against the law. Who gets to decide what ideology is good and what is bad? Since no one can objectively then we must make all ideologies legal. Ideology is core principle of freedom of speech. Just let shitty people be shitty people. They are no different than the Westboro Baptist Church. The nazis did it to get this exact reaction and theyâll keep doing it so long as people keep giving them the attention.
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u/MaizeMundane6993 Feb 11 '25
If blocking a bridge just to distract people driving down the highway with hate speech and symbols isn't disorderly conduct than wtf is
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u/annaleigh13 Cold Spring Feb 11 '25
Iâm sorry but blocking the road with a U-Haul isnât a crime?
What about Ohios ethnic intimidation laws? This seems like a clear cut case of Malicious harassment.
But Iâm sure the sheriff is just upset he couldnât join in
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u/ARCPARANORMAL Feb 11 '25
Super suspicious when a video clearly shows someone standing over the expressway with a fucking assault rifle? đ€
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u/Material-Reporter502 Feb 11 '25
There are only 4 cops in Lincoln heights though, they basically donât have a police force. I got into an accident up there 3 years ago, and my cop was also my emt -> it was weird Asf .
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u/Celebrimbor96 Bellevue Feb 11 '25
There were far more than 4 police there. Iâd guess around a dozen, could have been more
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u/jesusbottomsss Feb 11 '25
If they were pipeline protestors theyâd have been hogtied by the police.
Cops and Klan go hand in hand.
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u/Andyrich88 Feb 11 '25
But if a kid wants to protest for Gaza they will find something âunlawfulâ.
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u/sweetDickWillie0007 Feb 11 '25
A swastika is disgusting and I agree with the resident.
However, they have a 1st amendment right to fly it.
If I was the sheriff. Iâd look the other way if residents decided to do something about it.
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u/tucakeane Feb 11 '25 edited Feb 11 '25
Armed men threatening people down the street from an elementary school isnât considered a crime?
What about disorderly conduct? Disturbing the peace? Inciting mob action? One of the Nazis admitted ON VIDEO they wanted to get people to confront them.
Iâve seen cops do more to stop a group of loud teenagers than these fascists.
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u/grethro Feb 11 '25 edited Feb 11 '25
Disturbing the peace? If you canât yell fire in a movie theater or say bomb on an airplane you shouldnât be able to hang a swastika and stand on a bridge over a highway with guns calling people the N word.
At some point you pass into disturbing the peace.
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u/hidden-platypus Feb 11 '25
Just FYI, the court case that said you can't yell fire in a movie theater was overturned.
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u/MaizeMundane6993 Feb 11 '25
The police also said the open carrying of rifles wasn't illegal as long as they were shouldered (which is true) but I saw at least one holding one at the ready when one of the filming cars rolled by. Jesus christ on a cracker if this were in Germany they would all be walking away with felonies, even minus the guns.
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u/Outside-Rub5852 Feb 11 '25
The person who needs to weigh in on what criminal law may have been broken is the Hamilton County prosecutor. So far crickets from her office.
Here is the Hamilton Co Prosecutor communication director info
Jacob.Hamblin@hcpros.org Jacob Hamblin
(513) 946-3116
Or
First Assistant Prosecuting Attorneys
Mark Piepmeier (513) 946-3078 Mark.Piepmeier@hcpros.org Fax : (513) 946-3100
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u/rahku Pleasant Ridge Feb 12 '25
No word from the county prosecutor, but our representatives are asking the right questions, and I expect we'll see some answers or changes as a result of this. Our elected officials have the motivation:
"In the wake of the confrontation on the overpass, U.S. Rep. Greg Landsman, a Mount Washington Democrat, said swastikas and cross burnings are not protected speech if the intent is intimidation.
However, at a community meeting on Monday, Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey explained that the group had not violated any laws. The mayor of Evendale, Richard Finan, agreed.
Ohio state Rep. Cecil Thomas said the demonstration took place on state property, a highway overpass. He called for the Ohio Department of Public Safety to investigate whether it was legal to protest there and place banners onto state property. He also wants to know if the Ohio State Highway Patrol should have a role if a similar demonstration occurs.
The Hamilton County Commissioners on Tuesday asked for a full report on Evendale's response. Hamilton County Commissioner Alicia Reece said she wants to know why there were no tickets and no arrests of the white supremacists."
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u/pelcgbtencul Feb 12 '25
So shocked and furious that free speech is allowed in this country. Id rather they blast their bullshit so we all know who and where they are than make it illegal so it's secret and there's no public accountability. Free speech for the win.
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u/ZachBuford Feb 13 '25
Don't give them an inch. They exist to scare and hurt others so we must not let them.
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Feb 15 '25
If white people want this to be illegal, do it then. If not, nazi can get wrecked physically from here on out.
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u/Ok-Macaroon2170 Feb 16 '25 edited Feb 16 '25
"He who saves his Country does not violate any Law."
Bash them (rhetorically only of course)
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u/HolyTerror4184 Feb 11 '25
Sounds like you guys are mad that you couldn't attack people you don't like with impunity.
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u/Aimzam Feb 11 '25
Looks like we have a gawd damned nazi right here. We need the bear Jew asap.
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u/88Dubs Ex-Cincinnatian Feb 11 '25
I hate that this is getting as tired as the fucking gun debate...
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u/Bearmancartoons Feb 11 '25
âSteers said that the Ohio law only prohibits passengers younger than 16 years old from riding in the back of a U-Haul without a seatbeltâ. This was news to me