As an Ohioan I watched horror when my home is at home, the heart of the Heartland is confronted with a crisis that is torn directly from the California playbook. On July 26, 2025, a crowd in the center of Cincinnati brutally attacked four people, including Holly, a single mother who now suffers from serious brain trauma. Violent crimes such as these are a wake -up call to our national conscience. “Don’t California My State” has become a national warning, but even in Republican strongholds such as Ohio, weak local leadership has invited to chaos in California-style that promotes victim-shaving and mob-rule. It is time to reject this betrayal and to restore the law and order.
The viral images of Cincinnati’s fourth and elm are horrifying while four victims were attacked by a crowd while 100 bystanders watched, some filming, and only one called 911. Holly, celebrating the birthday of a friend stepped in to help someone attacked and was beaten unknowingly. Her life has changed forever. And instead of leadership, councilor Victoria Parks shamelessly claimed online that the victims ‘begged for that beat’.
This kind of victim-shaing is taken directly from the soft-on-crime script from California, where leaders reject the blame instead of prisoners in prisoners. The words of Parks are not only heartless, but represent a complete collapse of moral and social responsibility.
Cincinnati -Man who lost the eye in unsolved random beats says crime ‘out of hand’ after brutal viral attack
The Cincinnati crisis is a direct result of the policy errors led by the Democrat that started in 2020. Soft about crime policy has encouraged criminals and endangered communities. Cities such as Los Angeles, Minneapolis and now Cincinnati pay the prize. And even in Republican guided states such as Ohio, Texas and Florida, we are not immune when local leaders import this failed ideology.
(LR) Jermaine Matthews, Dominique Kittle, Dekyra Vernon, Montianez Merriweather, Patrick Rosemond and Aisha Devaughn are confronted with various charges for their alleged roles in the viral beatdown in Cincinnati, Ohio on July 26, 2025. (Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office; Fulton County Sheriff’s Office; Jay Black)
The police of Cincinnati were stripped by nearly 200 officers because of the “Defund the Police” movement. Mayor of Democrat Aftab Pureval was on vacation in Canada, because the attack went viral and only came out days later after immense public printing and indignation. His inactivity reflects the Proposition 47 from California, which has reduced retail thefts to crimes and had fueled a wave of retail crime.
We need moral courage to tell the truth about the racial attack of Cincinnati
Now Ohio experiences the same pattern of complacency of weak budgets and understaffed police departments to a legal system that codes criminals. As Republican Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno And the Republican Ohio Gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy recently warned, the democrat policy changes from our cities into war zones.
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In addition to the failures of leadership, the silence of nearly 100 bystanders with only one calling 911 reveals a total breakdown of public trust. Weak leadership has made citizens feel powerless. Normalized lax enforcement shoplifting in California; In Cincinnati it is normalized mob -violence.
Mayor Pureval’s delayed response and the shameful victim schemes of Parks Send a dangerous message: criminals will not experience any consequences. Even in a red state like Ohio, local democratic leaders import this “Californication” and leave the safety and justice that we once considered as a matter of course.
Cincinnati Mayor Missing during the viral attack crisis as a Gop Senator Absence Slams, the deadline for action notes
This is not just about pointing fingers, it is a call for action. Cities such as Philadelphia, Minneapolis, Denver and New York saw back murder cases in 2025 after local legislators voted to increase police budgets, despite pressure from local activists. Ohio must follow the example by fully financing law enforcement, enabling prosecutors to lock up violent offenders and reject leaders who apologize to a crime.
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The six suspects in the Cincinnati attack that are confronted with accusations of crime abuse and heavy riots must face real justice and not a clement. And the shameful comments from Parks demand accountability; She must resign or be removed. Every elected officer who mocks and describes victims of violent crime has the people they have been chosen to serve and did not hear in public office.
As a lawyer and proud Ohioan I am ready with the apologies. Holly’s brain trauma is a direct consequence of failed leadership. We earn safe streets where mothers can celebrate and companies are not afraid of the next crowd. We are not yet California, but without action the chaos of Cincinnati will be the new standard of America. Holly’s story and the silence of 99 bystanders must serve as the Wake-up call from America.
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