Group displaying swastika flags seen demonstrating on I-75 overpass in Evendale

Yahoo

07-02-2025

A demonstration Friday in Evendale ended with heavy police presence and the burning of a flag emblazoned with a swastika.
Evendale police said the "unannounced protest" happened on Vision Way overlooking Interstate 75. Social media reports showed black and red flags with swastikas on them being displayed over the highway.
Another social media post shows a similar flag being set on fire to the cheers of a crowd. The social media post contains explicit language.
As of 4:30 p.m., no arrests had been reported, but shortly after the demonstration began, multiple police cruisers responded.
"The protest was occurring on sidewalks designed for pedestrian travel. The protest, while very offensive, was not unlawful," a press release from the Evendale Police Department said. "The protest was short lived in duration. The protestors left the area on their own. No further action was taken by the Evendale Police Department."
The Evendale Police Department and the Hamilton County Sheriff's Department responded.
A number of nearby residents confronted the demonstrators.
One of them was 16-year-old Ethan Eley, who was driving on Interstate 75 that afternoon taking some friends to Loveland when he spotted the banners as they passed through Lincoln Heights.
Eley said members of his family were direct victims of the Holocaust in Berlin.
"I really don't appreciate Nazis," he said. "I hate them."
When he saw the swastikas and a flag that he remembers saying something like "Save the white man's America," he pulled off the highway.
The confrontation between local residents and the demonstrators had already started. Eley said police were trying to keep the two groups separated.
With other residents, Eley said they kept approaching the demonstrators. He said he saw police, one with an AR-15 style rifle, pushing back residents who had come out in opposition.
Eley said they eventually made it past police and someone snatched a flag from one of the demonstators.
"The Nazis began to back off," Eley said. "They quickly jumped in the back of a U-Haul truck and took off."
A woman brought out lighter fluid to burn the flag, and he joined in with others stepping and spitting on the flag, said Eley, who was a Boy Scout.
"General flag disrespect; it's a flag that deserves disrespect," Eley said.
After the tensions died down, he said the group stayed together to talk and pray.
"There was just a general sense of unity for pushing people like that out of their community," Eley said.
He said that violent hate has no place in the United States and never will.
"No matter the political climiate in the country, no matter what people seem to think or do, hate will never prevail," Eley said. "Freedom will always win out."
Eley's father, Bryan Eley of Springdale, learned of his son's actions Friday afternoon.
"Despite the conflicts of being a teenager, Ethan strives to do the right thing and happened to be in the right place to act on his convictions against hate and racism," the elder Eley said.
Mayor Aftab Pureval released a statement on X Friday afternoon in response to the demonstration.
"Messages of hate like this have no place in our region. It was shocking and disgusting to see swastikas displayed in Evendale today," the statement reads. "This is not what we stand for, and it will never be what we stand for."
The Jewish Federation of Cincinnati also released a statement on social media. The nonprofit, which is focused on supporting and building an inclusive Jewish community in Cincinnati, said:
"We are deeply disturbed by the reprehensible display of hate witnessed today at the Vision Way overpass on I-75, where individuals openly displayed Nazi symbols. Such acts of antisemitism, racism, and bigotry are an affront to the values of inclusion, respect, and unity that define our community. Hate has no place in Cincinnati or anywhere in our society.
Thanks to the vigilance of our community members, we were promptly alerted to this incident and immediately contacted law enforcement. This underscores the critical importance of community diligence in maintaining our collective security.
At this time, we have received no information indicating an imminent, credible threat against local Jewish organizations or congregations. The safety and security of our community remain our highest priority, and we continue to work closely with law enforcement through SAFE Cincinnati, our community-wide security initiative designed to improve readiness against security threats and natural disasters.
We will not be intimidated. Our response to hate is to reaffirm our commitment to strengthening community bonds, advancing education, and advocating for a society free of antisemitism and all forms of hate and bigotry. We urge all citizens of Cincinnati to stand with us in rejecting hate and building a community where all people can live without fear or intimidation.
We are grateful to our community partners, law enforcement, and local officials for their ongoing support. Together, we will continue to uphold our shared values of dignity, respect, and inclusion for all."
Enquirer reporter Bebe Hodges contributed to this report.
This story will continue to be updated.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Group carrying Swastika flags seen demonstrating in Cincinnati suburb