A black member of the Cincinnati City Council sparked outrage over social media comments that seemed to suggest that the white victims who were viciously attacked by a black mob got what they were asking for.
In a post to Facebook, a user highlighted the inflammatory words from an account belonging to Councilwoman Victoria Parks, who threw in her two cents on viral videos of the ugly incident that has put a spotlight on her city, which already was nursing a black eye over the violence before she ignited a firestorm.
“They begged for that beat down!” Parks proclaimed in the Sunday post. “I am grateful for the whole story.”
Actual social media comments made by a sitting member of Cincinnati City Council … pic.twitter.com/JXQkKjJCoS
— Cory Bowman (@corymbowman) July 30, 2025
The comment linked back to a Facebook account for Victoria Parks, whose job title is City Council Member at the City of Cincinnati Government, and also listed her past experience as the commissioner of Hamilton County, Ohio Government, and as former Chief of Staff to Hamilton County Commissioner Todd Portune at Hamilton County.
The posted information is in line with the official bio on the Cincinnati city website for President Pro Tem Victoria Parks, who “led the charge in passing Racism as a Public Health Crisis, in Hamilton County.”
It is unclear what Parks meant by referring to “the whole story,” but video of what occurred before the beatings has not yet been published. Nor could it possibly justify a defenseless woman being seriously injured after she was sucker punched, an image that highlights the dangerous environments that big Democrat-controlled cities have become in recent years, especially for white people.
“I’ve seen a lot of people saying they saw ‘additional footage’ that put the reaction of the crowd ‘in some context,’ and clearly, Ms. Parks saw something so damning that it justified ‘that beat down.’ But I can’t seem to actually FIND any footage like that. Can you point me to it?” One X user asked in response to Cincy mayoral candidate Cory Bowman, who highlighted Parks’ despicable comments.
Other X users condemned Parks’ comment and demanded her resignation.
Cincinnati Councilwoman Victoria Parks must resign immediately! Defending violent criminals who viciously beat innocent people is disgusting.
Her words “They begged for that beat down!” are outrageous.
Prosecutors must charge the attackers with a hate crime. We must… pic.twitter.com/sNv8ecPyNG
— Phil Plummer (@PhilPlummerOH) July 30, 2025
Her resignation should be imminent.
— Lisa Cappiello (@LisaCappiello08) July 30, 2025
She should’ve been removed the moment she posted that.
— Nikki (@PsyopsRabbit) July 31, 2025
Just beyond fathomable that people like this woman feel that they are untouchable as they express such hatred publicly and not be called out as they hold office over people they hate. It’s beyond rational comprehension.
— Sherry Kerdman (@sherry_kerdman) July 30, 2025
I’m getting the sense she isn’t much of a fan of white people.
— Anthony Galli (@RallyWithGalli) July 30, 2025
“Their skin color made them fair game” is that the platform now?
So we’re just endorsing race-based violence if it scores political points?
Be serious.— The Undercurrent (@NotTheirScript) July 30, 2025
If it were a white councilman saying the same thing about a black woman being knocked out, there would be protests across America…
— Thick Shelled Egg (@ThickShelledEgg) July 30, 2025
Safe to say that Miss. Victoria Parks is racist
— Priya Patel (@priyaee_) July 30, 2025
And that’s why that city sucks! Vote her out!
— Barbara (@Barbara25blc) July 30, 2025
The violence in the city has also drawn a reaction from Cincinnati restaurant owners, who issued a statement calling for city officials to do their jobs.
A statement from our CEO Britney Ruby Miller on behalf of Cincinnati’s downtown restaurant coalition. @TheRealJeffRuby pic.twitter.com/XB9bQvFYb3
— Jeff Ruby Culinary Entertainment (@JeffRubys) July 29, 2025
“As members of Cincinnati’s restaurant and hospitality industry, we are heartbroken and outraged by the recent violent incident that occurred in our downtown core,” read the statement, which was posted to X by Jeff Ruby Culinary Entertainment. “The video circulating from that night is disturbing, and like many in this city, we are calling for accountability and decisive action.”
“We are a united coalition – diverse in background, perspective, and political beliefs – but we stand together in condemning violence in any form,” the statement continues. “The safety of our guests, team members, and neighborhoods is nonnegotiable. It is a foundational expectation we all share.”
In addition to Parks, other Cincinnati officials have tried to downplay what many are calling a hate crime, with one of them being Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge, who shamed social media users for sharing the footage of the vicious beatings.
NEW: Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge shames people for sharing video footage of a woman getting beaten because the video didn’t “depict the entire incident.”
She’s seriously blaming social media for this?!
The comment comes in response to video footage showing a woman… pic.twitter.com/OhNij3XX3V
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) July 29, 2025
Images of the woman in the black flowery dress who was punched from the blindside have now been posted to X by Sen. Bennie Moreno (R-OH) after he received her permission to do so to prevent such violent attacks from happening in the future.
Cincinnati is an amazing and spectacular City. It deserves political leadership that matches the greatness of its citizens.@AftabPureval issues a late/weak statement, Police Chief blames social media (not the lack of almost 200 officers), Prosecutor @ConniePillich lets off… pic.twitter.com/6BzfO48m4G
— Bernie Moreno (@berniemoreno) July 30, 2025
“This is Holly. She wanted to have a nice evening out with friends. Instead, she got this. Holly gave me permission to release the photos so that others will never suffer what she did. We need and deserve change,” the senator said in the Wednesday post that also highlighted Parks’ opinion that Holly “begged for that beat down.”
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