What started as a student protest against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in North College Hill on Wednesday afternoon spilled from the sidewalks into the local Kroger, turning the grocery run into something far more chaotic.
Video from inside the store shows dozens of teenagers rushing in, tossing cans and bottles, and leaving shelves and ceiling tiles damaged. Shoppers can be seen scrambling for the exits while employees try to herd the crowd back outside. At least one customer was reported hurt as North College Hill police moved into the store to restore order.
Interim Police Chief Craig Chaney later tried to thread the needle between protecting protest rights and denouncing what happened in the aisles. In a statement posted on Facebook, he said the department “respects the rights of students and community members to assemble and express their views lawfully and peacefully.” He added that while most participants complied with lawful directives, officers “intervened to restore order” after behavior inside the Kroger began to affect public safety and private property, according to WKRC…