Cincinnati city councilwoman: Victims of mob attack ‘begged for that beat down’

CINCINNATI – A city councilwoman in Cincinnati is under fire for comments posted on Facebook in the wake of a brutal downtown beatdown last weekend. 

Under a post from a Facebook user called Leohna Alia La JCannon that shows the vicious assault, an account that appears to belong to Councilwoman Victoria Parks commented, “They begged for that beat down!”

“I am grateful for the whole story,” the comment continues. 

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The comment links back to a Facebook account for Victoria Parks, who lists her job title as City Council Member at City of Cincinnati Government. The account also says she was formerly the commissioner at Hamilton County, Ohio Government and the former Chief of Staff to Hamilton County Commissioner Todd Portune at Hamilton County.

That information lines up with Parks’ biography on the City of Cincinnati’s official website. Cincinnati’s city council is officially nonpartisan, but Parks, like all nine members of the governing body, was endorsed by the local Democratic party. 

The Facebook page has posts dating back several years, mostly relating to work experience. 

Parks appears to have a second Facebook page as well, which last posted on May 27. 

A third account, last posted updated 2022, also appears to belong to Parks. 

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The comments sparked an online firestorm, with a screenshot of the post being circulated widely. 

“Cincinnati Councilwoman Victoria Parks must resign immediately! Defending violent criminals who viciously beat innocent people is disgusting,” Ohio’s 39th District State Rep. Phil Plummer said on X. “Her words ‘They begged for that beat down!’ are outrageous. Prosecutors must charge the attackers with a hate crime. We must protect our streets!”

“You’re a racist pig, Victoria Parks,” said another post. 

“THIS IS INSANE!” said a third person, calling for Parks’ resignation. 

The beatings occurred on the corner of Fourth and Elm Street in Cincinnati’s downtown business district in the early morning hours on Saturday. Video that has been shared widely online shows a group of people savagely assaulting two others during a confrontation, with a woman being knocked out cold in the street. 

In her official city biography page, Parks says she “led the charge in passing Racism as a Public Health Crisis” when working for the Hamilton County governor. It also says she “introduced, and passed, Juneteenth as a paid holiday for Hamilton County employees.”

In January, Parks announced that she would not seek reelection, and will retire after her current term ends. 

“It’s unconscionable that an elected official would be celebrating violence in the very city she was voted to serve,” Cincinnati Fraternal Order of Police President Ken Kober told Fox News Digital. “This highlights the poor political environment that police officers, residents and visitors are currently enduring. Thankfully, there’s an election in November. I urge voters to vote for change!”

Parks did not return requests for comment. An email to the entire city council also went unreturned. A representative for the city council declined to comment by phone, directing Fox News Digital to Parks herself. 

Mollie Lair, the Communications Director for the Cincinnati City Manager’s Office, viewed the photo in person at city hall, but declined to comment.