Earlier this week, some rather disturbing videos surfaced of a mob attacking several people in the streets of Cincinnati. After the videos went viral, a local councilwoman said that the people who received the beatdown were asking for it.
Now, there are reports surfacing that she is under investigation.
The videos were hard to watch, honestly, as several individuals were punched, then kicked in the face and ribs while on the ground, including women.
One woman appeared to be trying to break up a fight when a man stepped up and punched her so hard, she dropped like a sack of potatoes, clearly unconscious.
The FBI then announced, "The FBI has been and will continue closely coordinating with the Cincinnati Police Department on this matter.”
The fight was black on white, which led to Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon adding, "Our federal hate crimes laws apply to ALL Americans. We [at the DOJ Civil Rights Division] will monitor closely how local authorities handle this attack. Nobody in our great nation should be the victim of such a crime, and where race is a motivation, federal law may apply."
The motivation of the attacks has still not been revealed, but a local councilwoman has already levied racist allegations against the group that was beaten up.
Cincinnati Councilwoman Victoria Parks responded to the video, posting, “They asked for that beatdown. I am grateful for the whole story.”
Other local officials did not take kindly to her words, with FOP President Ken Kober stating, “It’s unconscionable that an elected official would be celebrating violence in the very city she was voted to serve.”
State Rep. Phil Plummer (R-Montgomery) added, “Cincinnati Councilwoman Victoria Parks must resign immediately! Defending violent criminals who viciously beat innocent people is disgusting. Her words ‘They begged for that beat down!’ are outrageous. Prosecutors must charge the attackers with a hate crime. We must protect our streets!”
Parks, for her part, is not backing down from her comments. After outrage among other officials and residents raged, Parks responded, “In this country, we have freedom of speech, however, you may not run into a crowded theater and scream fire.”
Fellow Democratic Councilwoman Meeka Owens was not happy with the stance by Parks, stating, "Making comments that inflame a violent incident is never acceptable.”
Councilman Seth Walsh, also a Democrat, was also critical, stating, "As elected officials, we have a duty to lead with integrity, not to excuse harmful behavior. Cincinnati deserves leaders who condemn violence unequivocally and work to prevent it, not those who rationalize it."
At this point, nobody knows what caused the fight to break out, but even if it was started by a racial slur, is the answer to beat someone to within an inch of their lives on the street, filming it, and laughing about it?
