BUTLER COUNTY, Ohio — Multiple protests are breaking out over ICE arrests, and one protester was sent to jail after the most recent illegal immigration arrest in Butler County.
“They were arrested on the scene with her hands up not trying to antagonize anybody just trying to basically be a barrier," said protester Andrew Vasser.
He said he saw it all happening.
"She got pushed and shoved by the police and got visibly bruised from the encounter," said Vasser.
One of their own, from the Cincinnati Socialists group, was arrested during their protest Sunday night.
They were protesting of the arrest of 19-year-old Emerson Colindres. He's a recent Cincinnati high school graduate and soccer player who was detained by ICE during a routine check-in earlier this month.
“They’re being entrapped to be arrested, and we see this again and again, and it’s a lot of high school students who, they’re trying to do what their teachers say, what their coaches say, what their parents say, and in doing so, they’re being entrapped," said Vasser.
But that protest turned into a second one to get one of their group members out of the jail and a few hours later she was.
The 26-year-old West Milton woman had been charged with disorderly conduct and assault.
Hamilton police said she pushed back when officers were trying to get the protesters off the street and onto the sidewalk, and claim she "dramatically fell to the ground."
While she is now out of jail, the group said their work is not done yet and they’ve got demands for the Butler County sheriff.
“We hope to end this ICE detention in our state and local area and we think Sheriff Jones should stop," said Vasser.
The Butler County Sheriff said in a statement in part that he supports First Amendment rights to protest but he said if someone breaks the law, they will be "dealt with swiftly and according to the law.”