Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge, who is taking criticism for her handling of a recent viral brawl in which it appeared that a group of black assailants attack white people in the downtown part of the city, currently faces separate legal allegations of discriminating against white people.

After the footage of the attack went viral over the weekend, Theetge addressed the media on Monday, chiding them for purportedly failing to report the full context.

She called the weekend “outside of this one incident, an amazing success for this city.”

A baseball game and music festival had apparently been managed without a problem.

“We had one incident — one incident — late Friday night into Saturday morning that is getting all the attention and undoing the good stuff that happened this weekend,” Theetge said.

As her response received criticism online, one social media user noted that just a few months ago, multiple Cincinnati police officers filed suit against Theetge.

The officers are claiming that she is discriminating against white lieutenants when making assignments, per a report from the Cincinnati Enquirer.

DEI at work. She’s currently being sued by members of her own department for discriminating against white people. pic.twitter.com/EFWi3w0Vt7

— GC Chopper (@Papa1313131313) July 29, 2025

The white male officers said they were overlooked for the assignments, which can define careers and provide additional work benefits, because of their race.

The lawsuit asserted that female officers and officers from racial minority groups were meanwhile receiving special treatment for promotions, even though most of the lieutenants are white males.

“The city and Chief Theetge have actively and systemically undertaken efforts to promote, advance, and make promotion and assignment decisions that are preferable to women and minorities, and to the exclusion of White men,” the lawsuit said.

In one alleged instance, Lietuenant Gerald Hodges was recommended to be assigned as a district investigative lieutenant, but Theetge chose a black female for the position anyway.

There has been a “significant discrimination directed against White males regarding these assignments” since Theetge arose to her current position, the officers wrote in their Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaints.

The lawsuit also claimed that a race-driven quota system is being employed to promote women and racial minority officers to the level of lieutenant.

The controversy over the racially charged viral incident and the concurrent lawsuit occurs in the wake of the Supreme Court issuing new decisions against affirmative action, as well as state governments passing new laws discouraging racial discrimination against white people.

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