Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval held a press conference on August 1, 2025, six days after a violent mob assault in downtown Cincinnati that left multiple people injured, to address growing public concern. Flanking him were several activists and officials whose past comments and affiliations have drawn public backlash amid heightened scrutiny of the city’s response to the attack.
The press conference followed national outcry over viral footage of the assault, which showed a man being attacked by a large group near Elm and Fourth Streets and a woman, now publicly identified as “Holly,” knocked unconscious after attempting to help. Holly later confirmed she suffered severe brain trauma from the incident.
Among those present at the press conference was Iris Roley, a consultant to the city manager for the Collaborative Agreement and a member of the Cincinnati Black United Front. Roley recently drew backlash for comments made during a Facebook podcast, in which she stated, “He deserved it. All of it.” In a later statement, Roley said the remark was taken out of context and referred to a fellow podcast guest, not a victim of the assault. She also posted that she now considers herself a “target.”
Roley has previously made controversial statements on social media, including calling white Americans “the biggest terror threat in the United States” in a 2015 tweet and expressing strong opposition to President Donald Trump. She is the host of a podcast called Woke Wednesdays, where she has interviewed guests including Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), Rep. Greg Landsman (D-OH), and Police Chief Teresa Theetge.
In addition to her prior comments, Roley also questioned the Cincinnati Police Department’s $152 million annual budget at a separate media event. “They don’t need all of that money. For what? For what?” she asked. “I’ve seen the numbers go down. We hear the mayor saying the crime is down. We hear the chief saying it, so what’s the money for and why is it there?”
Chief Theetge, who previously served as interim police chief and now leads the department, addressed the press and criticized both social media and the media’s coverage of the incident. She stated that the viral clips presented “one version” of events and lacked full context, saying, “Social media posts and your coverage of them distort the context of what actually happened, and that makes our job more difficult.”
Theetge is currently facing a federal lawsuit filed by four high-ranking officers who allege she used a “race-based quota system” and engaged in anti-white discrimination when assigning promotions. The suit claims Theetge awarded preferred assignments to 79 percent of minority lieutenants and 89 percent of female lieutenants in 2023, compared to 44 percent of white male lieutenants.
Also speaking at the press conference was Pastor Damon Lynch III, who challenged why mugshots were not taken of the white individuals involved in the incident. Lynch remarked, “This is racial because it is unequal justice,” and argued that one of the white victims should have been arrested because he “didn’t walk away.”
Lynch attended an August 4 counterprotest against Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, referring to the Republican candidate as “Baby Trump.” In response to the violent brawl, Ramaswamy told Breitbart News he spoke directly with the victim, Holly, and called the assault “unconscionable,” vowing that as governor, he would restore public safety and end “soft-on-crime policies.” In April, Lynch publicly supported DEI initiatives and claimed that the country is “mainly controlled by white people.”
The mayor’s handling of the incident has drawn calls for resignation from Republican leaders, including U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH), who helped launch a fundraiser for Holly’s recovery alongside conservative commentator Benny Johnson. Actor Charlie Sheen was among the contributors, describing the donation effort as “stunning and compassionate and as patriotic as it gets.” As of August 5, the campaign had raised over $480,000.
Widespread condemnation has also extended to other local officials. Cincinnati Councilwoman Victoria Parks is under fire for writing, “They begged for that beat down!” in response to a video of the incident. The comment, since deleted, was met with rebuke from police unions and residents. Parks has reportedly stood by the post despite the backlash.
The investigation remains ongoing. Cincinnati police have arrested four suspects, with six people facing charges, and say they are still searching for two more suspects. While additional footage is expected to be released, Chief Theetge stated, “Right now I need to let the investigators continue to do their job.”
Meanwhile, Holly, the woman injured in the assault, offered gratitude to her supporters in a public video: “It’s been very, very hard, and I’m still recovering. I still have a very bad brain trauma. You have just brought back faith in humanity.”
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