CINCINNATI — Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey is calling on Ohio lawmakers for stricter laws more than a week after a neo-Nazi demonstration happened on an I-75 overpass that connects Evendale and the Village of Lincoln Heights.
McGuffey said on Tuesday she wants state lawmakers to implement harsher legislation for "hate speech" and to make it a crime to wear a mask while carrying a firearm for purposes of intimidation.
The incident happened on Friday, Feb. 7, when a group of people displayed swastika-emblazoned flags and a banner with white supremacy messaging on it from an overpass along I-75.
According to McGuffey, many of the individuals with the flags were also masked and openly carrying rifles.
When the group first appeared, Hamilton County dispatchers said police responded to the scene and were working on "keeping the peace."
Evendale police said they became aware of "an unannounced protest" on the sidewalks of the overpass. Hamilton County sheriff's deputies also responded to the scene.
Evendale police stated previously in a news release the protest, while very offensive, was not unlawful.
"It might be legally protected speech but it is not OK," McGuffey said on Tuesday.
The incident sparked controversy in the Lincoln Heights community, including a "rolling car protest" on Monday and a community meeting with the sheriff.
According to McGuffey, the group intimidated the community, which was unacceptable. Residents were seen carrying rifles and patrolling the streets of Lincoln Heights, including the intersection that overlooks the I-75 overpass where neo-Nazis rallied on Feb. 11.
McGuffy said the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office has placed extra patrols and personnel in Lincoln Heights. She mentioned law enforcement would not be caught off guard and would know how to handle it if a similar incident happened again.
She said she has contacted the FBI Cincinnati office and the Ohio Bureau of Investigations about the demonstration. McGuffy also said the sheriff's office is working with Hamilton County prosecutors.
Investigators are trying to identify the individuals who participated in the demonstration and determine whether they are affiliated with a larger group.
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