Cincinnati Police Arrest at Least 13, Including Journalists, in Immigration Protest

At least 13 people, including two journalists, were arrested during a protest in Cincinnati over the immigration detention of a former hospital chaplain. The protesters blocked a bridge carrying traffic over the Ohio River and refused to disperse. Journalists Madeline Fening and Lucas Griffith were charged with felony rioting and several other charges. The incident highlights the growing trend of journalists being arrested and injured while covering protests across the US.

At least 13 people, including two journalists, were arrested during a protest in Cincinnati over the immigration detention of a former hospital chaplain. The protesters blocked a bridge carrying traffic over the Ohio River and refused to disperse. Journalists Madeline Fening and Lucas Griffith were charged with felony rioting and several other charges. The incident highlights the growing trend of journalists being arrested and injured while covering protests across the US [1].

The arrests occurred on Thursday, July 17, during a protest in support of Ayman Soliman, an Egyptian immigrant who worked as a chaplain at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. Soliman was detained after showing up for a routine check-in with ICE officials at their office near Cincinnati. Protesters met in downtown Cincinnati and walked across the Roebling Bridge, carrying a banner that read "Build Bridges Not Walls" [1].

Police in Covington, Kentucky, said those arrested had refused to comply with orders to disperse. Among the charges filed against those arrested were rioting, failing to disperse, obstructing emergency responders, criminal mischief, and disorderly conduct. The judge set a $2,500 bond for each of those arrested [1].

The arrests of journalists Madeline Fening and Lucas Griffith, both from CityBeat, a Cincinnati news and entertainment outlet, have raised concerns about press freedom and safety. Fening and Griffith were charged with felony rioting and several other misdemeanors. Their arrest comes amidst a broader trend of journalists being targeted during protests across the US [1, 2].

The incident underscores the challenges faced by journalists in covering sensitive and contentious issues. In recent months, journalists have been arrested and injured while covering protests against immigration raids in Los Angeles and a No Kings protest near Atlanta. A Spanish-language journalist, Mario Guevara, was arrested in June while covering a No Kings protest and is now being held in an immigration detention center [1].

The arrests in Cincinnati also coincide with a broader shift in US immigration policy. The United States is dramatically expanding its immigration detention policy, with people who enter the country illegally now being denied access to bond hearings before an immigration judge. Instead, any release must be approved directly by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) [3].

This shift in policy has raised concerns about the impact on immigration detention facilities and the potential for prolonged detention without judicial review. The policy affects those who entered the country unlawfully, not those who overstayed visas. Immigration advocates have expressed concerns about the potential for mass detention and the impact on individuals with deep roots in the US [3].

The incident in Cincinnati serves as a stark reminder of the complex and evolving landscape of immigration policy and the challenges faced by journalists in covering these issues. As immigration policy continues to evolve, so too will the role of journalists in reporting on these issues and the risks they face in doing so.

References:
[1] https://apnews.com/article/immigration-protest-cincinnati-arrests-hospital-chaplain-8cce0f80673ba54fc48fd660f2e4dc0f
[2] https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2025/07/18/2-journalist-among-those-arrested-at-roebling-bridge-ice-protest/85269864007/
[3] https://www.business-standard.com/immigration/us-ends-bond-hearings-for-illegal-entrants-expands-immigration-detention-125071600161_1.html