Victoria Parks, a U.S. Air Force veteran and Cincinnati City Council President Pro Tem, has resigned from the Hamilton County Veterans Services Commission.
Her resignation, announced August 14, comes after weeks of public outrage over a comment she posted about a violent attack in downtown Cincinnati.
Cincinnati City Councilor Victoria Parks allegedly wrote “they begged for it” and says she’s “grateful for the story” in response to a White couple being violently attacked pic.twitter.com/KESHK8IZ4x
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) July 30, 2025
The incident happened early on July 26, 2025. Video footage shows a white couple being assaulted in the street, with the woman knocked unconscious. The clip spread quickly online, sparking outrage across the country.
On July 30, Parks commented under one of the viral videos, writing, “They begged for that beat down! I am grateful for the whole story.”
That didn’t go over well. People were furious. Veterans’ groups were embarrassed. Even folks who didn’t know her name before suddenly had an opinion – and it wasn’t a good one.
By August 1, Cincinnati’s mayor, Aftab Pureval, had weighed in. “No one deserves to be a victim of violent crime,” he said, and called the attack “unacceptable and disgusting.”
Police have already arrested five people and say they’re still looking for others who may have been involved.
Parks’ resignation letter was polite and focused on thanking the commission for the chance to serve veterans, but it never addressed her controversial comment. She didn’t really apologize either.
It’s worth noting she had already announced back in January that she wasn’t running for re-election to city council, with her term ending later this year. But instead of quietly finishing out her time, she’s now leaving office under a cloud.
For a lot of people, this wasn’t just about one bad Facebook comment; it was about what it represented.
If someone in a leadership role can watch a brutal attack and basically say the victims “had it coming,” what does that say about their judgment?
That’s a concern Nevadans understand all too well. Here in Las Vegas, violent crime is still a big problem.
We’ve seen attacks in tourist areas and neighborhoods alike. When elected officials downplay violence or make excuses for criminals, it makes people wonder if they really have the public’s safety at heart.
Supporters of Parks claim her words were taken out of context, that she was talking about a bigger backstory. Maybe so.
But here’s the thing: when you’re in public office, especially representing veterans, you don’t get to shrug off how your words land.
The public doesn’t forget easily, and the internet never does.
This is another reminder that leadership isn’t just about policies and votes. It’s also about character.
The police are still working the case. For the couple in that Cincinnati video, this isn’t about politics – it’s about justice.
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Nevada News & Views. This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
