Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval held a press conference on August 1, 2025, six days after a violent mob assault in downtown Cincinnati that left multiple people injured, to address growing public concern. Flanking him were several activists and officials whose past comments and affiliations have drawn public backlash amid heightened scrutiny of the city’s response to the attack.
The press conference followed national outcry over viral footage of the assault, which showed a man being attacked by a large group near Elm and Fourth Streets and a woman, now publicly identified as “Holly,” knocked unconscious after attempting to help. Holly later confirmed she suffered severe brain trauma from the incident.
Among those present at the press conference was Iris Roley, a consultant to the city manager for the Collaborative Agreement and a member of the Cincinnati Black United Front. Roley recently drew backlash for comments made during a Facebook podcast, in which she stated, “He deserved it. All of it.” In a later statement, Roley said the remark was taken out of context and referred to a fellow podcast guest, not a victim of the assault. She also posted that she now considers herself a “target.”…