A peaceful demonstration in support of an immigrant hospital chaplain turned chaotic Thursday night in Cincinnati. It ended with the arrest of at least 13 people — including two journalists — and drawing national outrage over the treatment of the press and protesters during immigration-related actions.
The protest centered around Ayman Soliman, an Egyptian immigrant and former chaplain at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, who was detained last week during what was supposed to be a routine check-in with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Supporters say Soliman has deep ties to the community and has complied with every step of the immigration process. Yet, he was taken without warning and placed in detention.
Bridge March Ends in Arrests
The protest began downtown before demonstrators marched onto the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge, a key crossing that connects Ohio and Kentucky. Waving signs and chanting “Free Ayman,” the crowd carried a large banner that read: “Build Bridges, Not Walls.” The message was symbolic — a call for unity, not division — but the bridge blockade quickly drew a strong police presence.
Authorities from Covington, Kentucky, responded to the demonstration, stating that blocking the bridge created a safety hazard and disrupted emergency access routes. After multiple dispersal orders were allegedly ignored, officers began making arrests. That’s when things turned violent. Cellphone footage showed a protester being punched numerous times by an officer as others screamed in the background. Protesters insist the event remained peaceful until police escalated the situation, while law enforcement claims officers were threatened when trying to negotiate with organizers.
Journalists Caught in the Crossfire
Among those detained were CityBeat reporter Madeline Fening and photo intern Lucas Griffith, who were covering the protest for the independent Cincinnati news outlet. Despite wearing visible press credentials and actively reporting, both were arrested and charged with felony rioting, along with other infractions.
Their arrest adds to a troubling national trend. So far this year, dozens of journalists have been detained or injured while covering protests related to immigration enforcement. In one high-profile case, a Spanish-language reporter covering a No Kings protest in Atlanta was arrested and later transferred to ICE custody, despite having valid work authorization. The charges in Cincinnati, paired with earlier incidents, have raised alarms among press freedom organizations, who say reporters are being criminalized for doing their jobs.
Charges, Community Backlash, and ICE Scrutiny
The charges against those arrested during Thursday’s protest range from failing to disperse and criminal mischief to obstructing emergency responders and disorderly conduct. According to Covington Police, officers attempted to speak peacefully with organizers before being met with hostility.
But community members see it differently. Many argue that the protest was an urgent response to what they view as a growing pattern of ICE targeting immigrants with deep community ties, jobs, and legal pathways still pending. Some demonstrators expressed their frustration, highlighting that the person in question had served in a children’s hospital and was not someone who posed a threat.
What’s Next?
Immigration advocates say the chaos in Cincinnati is just one piece of a larger national puzzle — one where immigration enforcement, press freedom, and peaceful protest are increasingly at odds. As ICE detains individuals like Soliman without a visible public cause; lawmakers and local leaders are under growing pressure to do something. Soliman remains in detention. His fate is uncertain, but the activism sparked by his arrest is not abating.
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Resources:
- https://apnews.com/article/immigration-protest-cincinnati-arrests-hospital-chaplain-8cce0f80673ba54fc48fd660f2e4dc0f
- https://indianexpress.com/article/world/us-immigration-protest-cincinnati-journalists-arrested-10136569/
- https://www.wtol.com/article/news/nation-world/journalists-arrested-immigration-protest-cincinnati/507-f0205136-d15a-4671-944c-a1eb1fca67ad
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