LINCOLN HEIGHTS, OH — As an investigation into the violent confrontation last month between residents of a historically-Black town and a group of neo-Nazis continues, officials released new bodycam video on Tuesday showing police respond to the scene.
Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office’s release of the bodycam video comes as tensions continue to remain high in the town of Lincoln Heights, and led to the formation of an armed group who are protecting the area due to distrust in law enforcement; no one has been arrested or charged in the incident.
Founded in 1923 and incorporated into a village in 1939, Lincoln Heights was the first township governed by a Black community outside of the South where Jim Crow laws were prevalent and lynchings were rampant.
Lincoln Heights, which is a village, does not have an independent police department and maintains a contract with Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office for police services.
Per local news station WLWT 5, a group of armed residents will be adding protection to their neighborhoods with the Lincoln Heights Safety and Watch program. Some local residents began arming themselves and patrolling the streets immediately after the violent clash.
On Feb. 7, a group of armed neo-Nazis who arrived in a U-Haul van were protesting on the Interstate 75 overpass connecting Lincoln Heights and Evendale. Black residents chased the group off, but the interactions between local law enforcement and the neo-nazi protestors on the day of the violent clash have become a point of criticism, with many residents expressing concern about their own safety.
Some Lincoln Heights residents have accused the neo-Nazi protestors of coming from their neighboring city, and accused local police of protecting the apparent neo-Nazis when they were confronted.
Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office and Evendale Police Department denied allegations they were lenient in their response on Feb. 7 and didn’t do enough to protect Lincoln Heights residents.
More on the police response in Lincoln Heights and growing concerns about white supremacists.
