CINCINNATI — A late-night street takeover on Ludlow Avenue has Clifton residents and business owners demanding the city take action.
WCPO 9 News obtained reports of up to 80 people crowding the street, blocking traffic and partying between 3:40 and 4 a.m. last Sunday.
"Push the crowd back, fire is having trouble getting out of the firehouse," said the dispatcher.
There were so many people in the street, a fire truck reported it couldn't get out of the firehouse on Ludlow Avenue. WCPO 9 News obtained surveillance videos showing police officers trying to break up the crowd. The video shows officers chasing at least one person and catching up to them. Over the scanners, we also heard officers reporting that they used a taser to control the crowd and deployed pepper balls.
"When the first few officers arrived, they were scared, they called for backup and backup was slow to arrive," said Steve Goodin, former Cincinnati City council member.
WATCH: Clifton businesses express their concerns with street takeovers, large crowds
Goodin is also a member of the Clifton Community Council, who said what you're seeing in surveillance videos and hearing over the scanners was brought up during their community council meeting on Monday. Some residents and business owners voiced concerns about their safety and livelihood, which has reportedly been an ongoing problem for about two years.
"We're begging the city to look at the police staffing levels because this was a night, thank God it didn't go that badly, but it could've gone very, very badly," said Goodin.
While WCPO 9 News is still working to get official information from police about what happened early Sunday morning, several Clifton business owners received an email from CPD saying officers arrested eight people, including one for assaulting an officer. The email also mentions the Bohemian Hookah Cafe, saying in regards to what happened early Sunday morning, there's currently nothing directly connecting the nuisance activity to the business.
Business owners we spoke with said all of the trouble happens after the bars close at 2 a.m. They've seen people selling alcohol out of their cars, some fighting on the sidewalks, and in the middle of the street. Surveillance video also shows some appear to be intimidating people by showing a gun in their waistband. They blamed the hookah lounge for enabling all of this. We reached out to the business for comment, but we're still waiting to hear back. On the business's website, it says they're open every day from 4 p.m. to 4 a.m. It reportedly does not have a liquor license.
We called the landlord of the hookah lounge, who told us over the phone she was trying to evict the business because of the repeated complaints of disorderly conduct. Besides the city dedicating more officers to Clifton on weekends when the bars close, we asked Goodin what they want from the city.
"I would love for the city to file a public nuisance lawsuit to shut down the hookah bar," said Goodin.
WCPO 9 News has reached out to city officials for comment on the hookah business and whether they plan to label it a nuisance. We're continuing to press for answers about what steps will be taken to address residents' safety concerns and will update this story as we learn more.
