The Franklin County Board of Commissioners' meeting was interrupted when somebody on the meeting's Zoom call played a racist, antisemitic and crude video on the site

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Home / Ohio Municipal Gathering Hijacked by Lewd, Anti-Jewish Caller

Ohio Municipal Gathering Hijacked by Lewd, Anti-Jewish Caller

March 11, 2025

The Franklin County Board of Commissioners’ meeting was interrupted Tuesday morning when somebody on the meeting’s Zoom call played a racist, antisemitic and crude video on the site.

The board was about to consider the last of four grants on its agenda proposed through the county Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion when a video began playing on the screens in the room.

The video included a hooded Ku Klux Klan member interspersed with pornographic images. The speaker expressed hatred for Jews and also used a slur for Black Americans.

County staff quickly shut down the Zoom and the board stopped the meeting as people in the hearing room became upset. When the commissioners began the meeting again, board President Erica C. Crawley condemned the disruption.

“We and I condemn in the strongest terms the unacceptable disruption … in this public meeting,” Crawley said. “The display of racist and inappropriate videos not only undermines the integrity of our governance but also tarnishes the principles of respect and inclusivity that we strive to uphold in our community each and every day.”

Audience members applauded Crawley’s statement.

Franklin County Prosecutor Shayla Favor, who sits in on the board meetings, said the sheriff’s office will be asked to investigate and her office is prepared to pursue charges.

“This is unacceptable behavior and it will not be tolerated,” Favor said.

Commissioners Kevin L. Boyce and John O’Grady also condemned what happened.

“If you think your actions have any effect on what Franklin County is doing, going to do, will do for the members of this community, I got news for you: you’re going to be sorely mistaken and sad,” Boyce said. “This doubles down on the conversation that we have been facilitating for quite some time that this Franklin County is everyone’s Franklin County.”

Speaking directly to the unknown disruptor, Boyce said, “Quite frankly, you’ve started something.”

Robin Ross, a spokesperson for the county commissioners, told The Dispatch on Tuesday afternoon that this was not a hacking incident but a “Zoombombing.” The county did not have settings in place to prevent participants from unmuting themselves or using their cameras.

Going forward, the county commissioners’ meetings will be in-person only as there will be no Zoom option, Ross said. The county began using Zoom to broadcast commissioners’ meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic. A video recording of the meetings is posted on the county’s website later the same day.

https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/local/2025/03/11/racist-antisemitic-video-interrupts-franklin-county-ohio-commissioners-meeting-columbus/82265963007/

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