15 Charged in Protest Blocking Ohio-Kentucky Bridge in Support of Egyptian Imam Facing Deportation Over Alleged Ties to Muslim Brotherhood Affiliated Group
Covington, Kentucky police arrested 13 people, including two reporters, Thursday night on charges related to a protest in support of an Egyptian Imam facing deportation. The protest blocked the Ohio River spanning John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge that connects Covington with Cincinnati. A total of 15 people were arrested with each granted $2,500 bail at a Friday court hearing in the Kenton County court.
Officers were seen on video subduing apparently resisting protesters with punches.
Police listed charges as: “Charges range from Riot 1st Degree, Unlawful Assembly, Failure to Disperse, Obstructing a Highway, Obstructing Emergency Responders, Criminal Mischief, Disorderly Conduct 2nd Degree, to Resisting Arrest.” Photos and videos of protest after details on the Imam’s case.
According to reports, Egyptian Imam Ayman Soliman, granted asylum in 2018, was jailed last week after his asylum was revoked last month over alleged ties to a Muslim Brotherhood affiliated group, Al-Jameya al Shareya.
Background on Soliman’s case via WLWT-TV on Wednesday (excerpt):
A judge has granted a temporary restraining order, allowing a former Cincinnati Children’s Hospital chaplain and local imam to remain in Ohio until his immigration hearing next week.
Ayman Soliman was detained during a check-in with ICE last week at the Homeland Security Office in Blue Ash. Since then, he’s been held at the Butler County Jail.
According to his legal team, a federal district judge has granted a Temporary Restraining Order that will prevent the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from moving Soliman out of Ohio, at least until his immigration bond hearing on July 23.
Soliman was granted asylum in 2018, but that was revoked last month, with claims he worked for a organization, Al-Jameya al Shareya, that was affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, which is a group considered an extremist organization but not designated as a terror organization by the U.S.
Soliman’s legal team denies any involvement, stating the Al-Jameya al Shareya is not a terrorist group, but a nongovernmental organization that provides medical services and charitable community services.
…Soliman has a team of attorneys working on his case. His bond hearing is scheduled for July 23. A follow-up hearing is scheduled in federal court for July 24.
More from WCPO-TV (excerpt):
Immigration officials claim Soliman worked for a charity with ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, an allegation that Soliman and his legal team deny. His legal team told WCPO an asylum officer labeled the organization Soliman was involved with in Egypt as a terrorist group despite both the U.S. and Egypt not designating the group as such.
His attorneys said the asylum officer labeled the group a Tier III terrorist organization last year, saying the group provided support to the Muslim Brotherhood, which they also labeled a Tier III terrorist organization.
While the U.S. says Hamas, a designated foreign terrorist organization, has roots in the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, and some of the leaders of the foreign terrorist organization HASM were previously associated with the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, the U.S. has not designated the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization at this time.
“The dots don’t connect on what they’re saying,” said Kathryn Brady, Soliman’s attorney from the Muslim Legal Fund of America.
Excerpt from the Cincinnati Enquirer on the arrested reporters:
At a court hearing in Kenton County on Friday, July 18, a judge set bond for the people arrested and ordered them not to be on the Roebling Bridge.
Both journalists arrested by Covington police on July 17 work for CityBeat, a publication that covers news and entertainment topics in Cincinnati.
Reporter Madeline Fening and photo intern Lucas Griffith were both arrested, CityBeat publisher Tony Frank confirmed.
Fening and Griffith are charged with rioting in the first degree, a felony, and multiple misdemeanors.
Fening is an investigative news reporter with CityBeat who has worked at the publication since 2022, according to her LinkedIn profile. She previously worked for WCPO. She has reported on national issues that touch us locally including fentanyl overdoses, the local Amazon union drive, Ohio’s evolving abortion care landscape, LGBTQ+ rights, and police misconduct, according to her biography on the CityBeat website.
…Most of the defendants were not represented by lawyers. All have been charged with felony rioting and various misdemeanors. The felony carries a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison.
The judge set all their bonds at $2,500 and has ordered them to return to their next hearing July 23.
Covington Police statement on the protest arrests:
COVINGTON, KY- At approximately 8:15 p.m. tonight, Covington Police responded to a protest on the Roebling Suspension Bridge that obstructed traffic and created safety concerns for both demonstrators and the public.
Officers initially attempted to connect with the protest’s organizer, but were immediately met with open hostility and threatening behavior. While the department supports the public’s right to peaceful assembly and expression, threatening officers and blocking critical infrastructure, such as a major bridge, presents a danger to all involved.
After warnings were issued to the group to disperse, several individuals who refused to comply were taken into custody. Covington Police made a total of 13 arrests. Charges range from Riot 1st Degree, Unlawful Assembly, Failure to Disperse, Obstructing a Highway, Obstructing Emergency Responders, Criminal Mischief, Disorderly Conduct 2nd Degree, to Resisting Arrest.
The Roebling Suspension Bridge was temporarily closed during the incident but has since been reopened.
“We respect everyone’s right to protest, but when demonstrations jeopardize public safety and violate the law, our officers must take appropriate action,” said Chief Brian Valenti.
Dozens of officers from agencies across Kenton and Campbell Counties responded.
The Covington Police Department remains committed to protecting the rights of all individuals while maintaining public order.
Respectfully,Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Winship
Assistant Chief of Police – Services / PIO
Photos and videos posted by local reporters and media outlets from the protest Thursday and court hearing Friday:
Before the bridge protest, a rally in support of Soliman shows the success the Red-Green alliance has had in radicalizing liberal white women in America to support their own future subjugation under the authoritarianism of communism and Islam:
Another vigil/rally for Ayman Soliman is taking place near the Roebling Bridge.@Local12 pic.twitter.com/9HPk8aW0vC
— Chris Arnold (@ChrisArnoldTV) July 17, 2025
Start of the march shows a vehicle trying to cross the bridge being harassed by protesters.
One speaker encouraged protestors to cross the Roebling Bridge, said they were going to pray on the other side and initially took up both lanes. Black SUV starts driving across the Roebling Bridge pic.twitter.com/sLsjSybQBo
— Sean MacKinnon WLWT (@SeanMacKinnonTV) July 18, 2025
Police subdue a protester who appears to have been resisting arrest:
WATCH: Video appears to show an officer punching a protester multiple times during the protester's arrest. 13 protesters, including at least one journalist, were arrested after the protests turned into an impromptu march across the Roebling Bridge. https://t.co/a4rnJxBBLU pic.twitter.com/lOzTXwJSM9
— WCPO 9 (@WCPO) July 18, 2025
Closer view with another protester arrested:
A protest in support of Ayman Soliman erupted into chaos on the Roebling Bridge, with multiple protesters clashing with police.https://t.co/jalefyWHH6 pic.twitter.com/ybPyksx8mB
— Local 12/WKRC-TV (@Local12) July 18, 2025
Person in the front row at Friday’s bail hearing was wearing a Democrat Socialists of America shirt:
The Roebling Bridge protest defendants are appearing before a judge via video. There’s a large family and friend presence in the courtroom for many of the defendants. pic.twitter.com/IJzJjFn3fd
— Sydney Hawkins (@s_hawkinsnews) July 18, 2025
WCPO reported on a statement by the local DSA chapter (excerpt):
The Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), a political organization, claims that Covington police “violently broke up the protest” and arrested people who were complying with officers’ orders to disperse.
“Some of those arrested were brutally beaten, with multiple protesters requiring medical treatment at a nearby hospital,” reads a press release from the group. “At least one journalist was also arrested by police despite continually signaling their status as a member of the press.”
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