JOHN, THANKS SO MUCH. AND AT THE SAME TIME, FOR THE SECOND TIME IN TWO WEEKS, BLACK FAITH LEADERS ARE CALLING FOR WHAT THEY CALL EQUAL JUSTICE IN THE DOWNTOWN BRAWL. THE GROUP BELIEVES THAT MORE CHARGES SHOULD BE BROUGHT AGAINST THAT WHITE MAN ACCUSED OF SLAPPING A BLACK MAN IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT BRAWL. WLWT NEWS FIVE’S DANIELLE DINDAK WAS AT THE RALLY TODAY. SHE IS LIVE FROM FOUNTAIN SQUARE FOR US. HI, DANIEL. YEAH. HI THERE MIKE. MANY PEOPLE WERE OUT HERE TODAY, AND ALSO MANY PEOPLE SPOKE, INCLUDING FAITH LEADERS. THEY ARE VERY STRONG IN THEIR WORDS, CALLING FOR JUSTICE, PEACE AND EQUAL APPLICATION OF THE LAW. WE NEED TO CALL ALSO FOR THE HAMILTON COUNTY PROSECUTOR TO ANSWER TO THE COMMUNITY AS TO WHY THESE ARE THE CHARGES THAT WERE DONE IN THE FIRST PLACE. WE’RE DEMANDING THAT AGGRAVATED RIOT BE DROPPED. YES. WEEKS AFTER THE VIRAL VIOLENCE, THE VIDEO CONTINUES TO REPLAY. IN THE AFTERMATH OF THAT NIGHT KEEPS BEING DISSECTED EQUAL APPLICATION OF THE LAW. I’LL SAY IT ONE MORE TIME, EQUAL APPLICATION OF THE LAW AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS, SEVEN BLACK PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ARRESTED, ALL FACING FELONIES, INCLUDING AN AGGRAVATED RIOT CHARGE. THE EIGHTH PERSON, A WHITE MAN NAMED ALEX STRAVINSKY, WAS CHARGED WITH DISORDERLY CONDUCT, A MISDEMEANOR. ALTHOUGH THERE’S BEEN A CHARGE, IT’S NOT ENOUGH. STRAVINSKY’S CHARGE CAME EARLIER THIS WEEK. IT BROUGHT MIXED REACTIONS CITYWIDE. THE FOP PRESIDENT FELT LIKE HE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN CHARGED. WHILE THOSE HERE FEEL OTHERWISE. THE PROBLEM THAT ALEX STRAVINSKY WAS NOT ONLY INVOLVED IN THE RIOT, BUT INCITED THE RIOT IS PROBLEMATIC. THAT HE HAS NOT BEEN CHARGED WITH EITHER INCITE TO VIOLENCE OR AGGRAVATED RIOT. MANY SPOKE OUT, CALLING FOR MORE CHARGES TO BE BROUGHT AGAINST THE 45 YEAR OLD. SOME GOING AS FAR TO SAY THAT HE’S THE ONE WHO INCITED THE VIOLENCE IN THE FIRST PLACE. WE DO NOT FEEL THAT THE VIOLENCE WAS PROPORTIONATE TO THE SLAP. WE’RE NOT SAYING THAT, BUT WE’RE SAYING IF YOU HAD NOT SLEPT, THIS BLACK MAN IN THE FACE, THEN HE WOULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN PUNCHED OUT. THE NIGHT WOULD HAVE ENDED AT 3:00 IN THE MORNING. IT WOULD HAVE ENDED. FAITH LEADERS TELL ME THERE WILL BE A COMMUNITY STRATEGY MEETING THIS UPCOMING TUESDAY AT 6 P.M. AT THE NEW BAPTIST PROSPECT CHURCH. WE’LL HAVE MUCH MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT RIGHT ON OUR WEBSITE. REPORTING LIVE AT FOUNTAIN SQUARE. DANIEL
Faith leaders rally at Fountain Square, call for equal justice in downtown brawl
Updated: 6:13 PM EDT Aug 21, 2025
For the second time in two weeks, Black faith leaders gathered on Thursday to call for equal justice in the downtown Cincinnati brawl. The group believes more charges should be brought against the White man accused of slapping a Black man. Nearly 100 attended Thursday’s rally at Fountain Square. Many people spoke, including faith leaders. The common theme was justice, peace, and equal application of the law. The incident unfolded on West Fourth and Elm streets early on July 26. Cincinnati police say the incident began as a verbal altercation that quickly turned physical.Seven people were previously charged for their alleged roles in the brawl, including six for assault charges and one for robbery charges. The seven people previously charged in the incident are Black.”We need to call on the Hamilton County Prosecutor to answer the community as to why these charges were done in the first place,” Amos Project Director Pastor Lesley Jones said. “We’re demanding that aggravated riot be dropped.”Earlier this week, an eighth person was charged. Alex Tchervinski, 45, initially considered a victim in a downtown Cincinnati assault, has been charged with disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor. “Although there’s been a charge. It’s not enough,” Jones said. Tchervinski’s charge brought mixed reactions across Cincinnati. Ken Kober, president of the Cincinnati FOP, stated that county prosecutors initially found no reason to charge Tchervinski until city officials intervened.Those who gathered on Thursday feel much different and stressed that Tchervinski should face additional charges. “It’s problematic that he has not been charged with either incitement to violence or aggravated riot, which is what all of the African American people have been charged with,” Pastor Tracy Hunter said. According to Pastor Damon Lynch III, the current charge is not adequate for Tchervinski.”We do not feel that the violence was proportionate to the slap,” Lynch said. “What we’re saying is if you had not slapped this Black man in the face, that Holly would not have gotten punched out. The night would have been over at 3:00 in the morning. It would have ended.”Faith leaders are holding a community strategy meeting on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at New Prospect Baptist Church.
For the second time in two weeks, Black faith leaders gathered on Thursday to call for equal justice in the downtown Cincinnati brawl.
The group believes more charges should be brought against the White man accused of slapping a Black man.
Nearly 100 attended Thursday’s rally at Fountain Square. Many people spoke, including faith leaders. The common theme was justice, peace, and equal application of the law.
The incident unfolded on West Fourth and Elm streets early on July 26. Cincinnati police say the incident began as a verbal altercation that quickly turned physical.
Seven people were previously charged for their alleged roles in the brawl, including six for assault charges and one for robbery charges. The seven people previously charged in the incident are Black.
“We need to call on the Hamilton County Prosecutor to answer the community as to why these charges were done in the first place,” Amos Project Director Pastor Lesley Jones said. “We’re demanding that aggravated riot be dropped.”
Earlier this week, an eighth person was charged. Alex Tchervinski, 45, initially considered a victim in a downtown Cincinnati assault, has been charged with disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor.
“Although there’s been a charge. It’s not enough,” Jones said.
Tchervinski’s charge brought mixed reactions across Cincinnati.
Ken Kober, president of the Cincinnati FOP, stated that county prosecutors initially found no reason to charge Tchervinski until city officials intervened.
Those who gathered on Thursday feel much different and stressed that Tchervinski should face additional charges.
“It’s problematic that he has not been charged with either incitement to violence or aggravated riot, which is what all of the African American people have been charged with,” Pastor Tracy Hunter said.
According to Pastor Damon Lynch III, the current charge is not adequate for Tchervinski.
“We do not feel that the violence was proportionate to the slap,” Lynch said. “What we’re saying is if you had not slapped this Black man in the face, that Holly would not have gotten punched out. The night would have been over at 3:00 in the morning. It would have ended.”
Faith leaders are holding a community strategy meeting on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at New Prospect Baptist Church.