HAMILTON, Ohio — One person was arrested and now faces several charges after a protest outside the Butler County Jail Sunday evening.
Sheriff Richard Jones first said in a press release that the Hamilton Police Department arrested one person during a demonstration protesting the ICE detention of recent Cincinnati high school graduate Emerson Colindres.
"The Butler County Sheriff's Office deployed personnel to maintain order, ensure public safety and monitor the protest," Jones said in the release. "While the majority of attendees demonstrated peacefully, several individuals unlawfully entered the roadway, obstructing traffic and creating a safety hazard."
Hamilton police said officers working during the protest "repeatedly" advised organizers to return to the sidewalk and stay out of the road. When officers attempted to arrest one protester for disorderly conduct, police said 26-year-old Cayley Baker from Miami County "physically pushed an officer and deliberately positioned herself between the officer and the subject, allowing the individual to evade lawful arrest."
Police said Baker then actively resisted as they attempted to take her into custody.
"Her actions escalated the situation and endangered officer safety, as the crowd encircled the officers, requiring additional police presence to maintain control."
Baker is charged with disorderly conduct, assault on a police officer, obstructing official business and resisting arrest.
Watch below to see more about the protest and the arrest made:
Cincinnati Socialists is a group that fights for workers' rights and the liberation of all oppressed people. They say they believe the charges are “unfounded.”
"They were arrested, based on what I’m seeing, with their hands up, not trying to antagonize anybody," said Andrew Vasser, the co-chair of the Cincinnati Socialists. "Basically trying to be a barrier so no one got thrown into jail that was not, you know, actively protecting people and in doing so she got pushed and shoved by police.”
Baker arrested was released just after 11 a.m. Monday morning.
According to Jones, around 500 people were in attendance to protest the arrest of Colindres, who was taken into custody last week after he and his family went for what they thought was a regular check-in with immigration officials.
Colindres has never been charged with a crime.
Colindres’ family moved to this country in 2014, when he was 8 years old, seeking asylum after claims of gang activity against them in Honduras. In 2023, that asylum case was denied.
Since his arrest, his classmates, friends and soccer team have rallied for his release. On Sunday, the team gathered to make signs for a protest outside the jail, ahead of the 6 p.m. protest, when they got a call from Colindres.
His friends passed around the phone, asking how he’s doing and trying to lift his spirits.
Hear Colindres speak from jail in the video below:
“They got Pacers scores in there?” one said.
“You should start lifting weights,” another laughed.
Colindres talked to them for almost 20 minutes. And then he spoke to WCPO's Keith BieryGolick.
“I was just ... living life, minding my own business,” Colindres said. “And now I’m here.”
Watch our interview with Colindres’ coach and teammates:
WCPO 9 asked Vasser what he and others hope is accomplish through these protests.
“We hope to end this ICE detention, both in our state and the local area,” said Vasser. “We believe that Sheriff Jones should be removed from office and the people of Butler County should elect a new sheriff.”
We reached out to Sheriff Jones about the call for his removal and the recent protests.
“The First Amendment protects the right to peaceful protest, and we will always defend that right. However…public safety and the rule of law are non-negotiable," reads a statement Jones wrote on social media.
As far as his removal, we have not heard back.
