The Lockland Local Schools Board of Education is calling for an investigation into the actions of Evendale and Lockland police following a neo-Nazi demonstration that led to disturbing scenes adjacent to school grounds. According to WLWT, the school district has released footage showing the demonstrators, who had displayed swastika flags on an I-75 overpass earlier, on school property armed and conversing with a police officer moments before the officer left and shortly before elementary students were dismissed.
The board stated in a public service announcement that "the U-Haul truck transporting the Terrorist group from the site of the civil unrest ultimately ended up directly adjacent to the Lockland Local School District Educational Annex building." WCPO also reported this information. The invocation of a "terrorist group" by the district board underscores the gravity with which they view the incident. The footage, cited by both WCPO and the board, corroborates the proximity of the demonstrators to a building serving preschool to fourth-grade students.
Evendale Police had previously explained that their encounter with organized demonstrators was not deemed "unlawful" but rather "distasteful." They maintained control of the surrounding areas without pressing any charges. This account was detailed in a statement Evendale police provided to FOX19. However, local community leaders and the school district have expressed frustration and concern over the concentrated law enforcement response and communication with the school regarding the incident's risk factor.
State Rep. Cecil Thomas has amplified the call for clarity by demanding an inquiry through the Director of Public Safety. "I want to know whether a citizen has a legal right to protest and/or attach paraphernalia on a bridge overpass belonging to the state," Thomas said in a statement obtained by the WLWT News, grappling with the legal prerogatives concerning such demonstrations. The district and Hamilton County Commissioners are united in their call for transparency and ensuring the safety of the students and the community—a sentiment echoed in the multiple reports following the unsettling occurrence. Additionally, Evendale's police chief has indicated a willingness to conduct a review and discuss potential charges with the Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office, per FOX19.
