The Justice Department and FBI have opened a federal investigation into the vicious attack in downtown last weekend. The images went viral.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon intimated about potential federal hate crime charges. The video showed several blacks beating up whites, including a woman who was knocked unconscious.
The beatings occurred on the corner of Fourth and Elm Street in Cincinnati's downtown business district in the early morning hours on Saturday.
Montianez Merriweather, 34, and Dekyra Vernon, 24, were arrested Tuesday night. Both face felonious assault, aggravated riot and assault charges. Merriweather is being held on a $500,000 bond, while Vernon is being held on a $200,000 bond.
A third suspect, Jermaine Matthews, was taken into custody later and charged with aggravated riot and assault. He is being held on $100,000 bond.
Terris Todd is a former Trump White House Education Department appointee, who now serves in outreach for the Project 21 Black Leadership Network. He says this violence was totally uncalled for.
“It does not represent black American culture, at least decent black American culture, and they don't represent all of us. So, it was totally uncalled for, and I'm thankful that those who are being brought to justice are being so very swiftly, and hopefully they'll gather some more people because it was totally uncalled for, should have never happened."
Todd believes that if this had been whites beating up blacks, it would be a huge national story.
"If the tables were turned the media would have spun it in such a way to say ‘oh look at this mob,’ and then they would have brought Trump into it. ‘These are probably more likely MAGA Republicans or MAGA groups or whatever that's targeting black people in Cincinnati or whatever, and he's emboldened them to do all this.’ See, that narrative would have taken off in a different direction. So, there is a double standard when it comes to that kind of nonsense."
