A small town in southwest Ohio is rocked by the recent detention of a local resident, Ahmad Soliman. His arrest has sparked a new sense of fear, anger, and protest in the community. The arrest of Soliman was only the beginning—here’s what happened next. According to news reports, his detention is related to his membership in an osulun-linked group, the Union of Muslim Scholars. While this group is very much illegal in Egypt, they are perfectly legal in the United States. Like many communities around the country, Alexandria is now wrestling with the deeper implications of Soliman’s arrest. As anger heightens, incendiary encounters are flaring up between police and demonstrators.
Soliman was released after more than a month in the Butler County Jail. He is now successfully contesting the ending of his asylum status with the federal lawsuit he filed last week. His next scheduled court hearing is for August 12. This new and ongoing legal battle complicates the picture even further, adding another layer to an already dangerous and volatile situation.
Community Response and Protests
Since Soliman’s arrest, local community members have joined together in solidarity with him. Now, protests have erupted across the county. Now, demonstrators are calling for his release and decrying U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities. While these protests have not been without incident, they have on occasion caused violent clashes with law enforcement. Officer Zachary Stayton is currently on paid administrative leave. This decision comes after news broke that he punched a demonstrator in a street demonstration.
Those protests have recently gained the support of numerous community leaders, including Rev. Lizzy Diop, an area chaplain at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. Five days after his own detention, Soliman paid a visit to Diop. Since then, she has enthusiastically made known her intentions to further back him up with weekly visits at the jail.
“This is my dream job. It’s a huge part of my identity. I felt like my world, my life, my self had been torn apart.” – Lizzy Diop
Her participation in the protests and her outspoken support for Soliman have cost Diop personally. That’s how she lost her job at the hospital. This occurred immediately after she granted an exclusive interview to a local TV station describing what Soliman is now going through. Another chaplain, Adam Allen, was similarly punished for attending a prayer vigil before a protest against Soliman’s detention.
Legal and Media Implications
The legal implications around Soliman’s detention go far past his individual circumstances. Today, the ACLU of Kentucky is defending journalists arrested at those protests as they reported on Soliman’s case. As a champion of press freedom, the organization argues that a free press is essential to any democratic society.
“A free press is critical to a functioning democracy, and those members of the press who, like our clients, merely cover a story enjoy the full protection of the US and Kentucky constitutions to do so.” – William Sharp, ACLU of Kentucky
Writing for the very first time, journalist Ashley Moor described her anger over the ways in which media framing has been misconstrued by law enforcement.
“Journalists and journalism are under threat… It is disappointing that our efforts to cover a protest were deliberately misinterpreted as rioting.” – Ashley Moor
The arrests of journalists covering these protests have raised concerns about press freedom and the rights of individuals participating in peaceful demonstrations.
Economic Considerations
Soliman’s detention has brought attention to the economic factors related to his confinement. The Butler County Jail is allegedly profiting more than $24,000 each day from the fees ICE pays to detain people like Soliman. This should lead us to further question the motivations behind these detentions and if profit motivations are affecting police practices around the country.
Community members are rightfully more concerned about ICE operations. This concern is further aggravated by news of ramped up enforcement actions in other states.
“There’s anxiety, especially as we see ICE activity increasing in other states,” – Maria Hernandez, community activist
As we continue to watch this story unfold, it offers an important glimpse into immigration policy, the need for community solidarity, and the appropriate role of law enforcement. Soliman’s court hearing on August 12 has the potential to be a significant turning point for him and for the community. Both will be forging their paths together through this brave new world once the results are announced.