A peaceful student protest took a dangerous and damaging turn in Cincinnati, Ohio, when a group of high schoolers stormed a local Kroger grocery store, threw alcohol bottles at the ceiling, and left at least one shopper injured. The incident, which unfolded on February 18, 2026, was captured on video by a bystander and has since gone viral — igniting a national debate about the boundaries of civil protest.

What Happened Inside the Store
Students from the North College Hill City School District walked out of class that Wednesday as part of a broader wave of anti-ICE demonstrations that have been spreading across the country in recent weeks. While local authorities confirmed that the majority of students demonstrated peacefully outside, the situation deteriorated sharply when a large group — estimated at more than 50 students by eyewitness accounts — entered a nearby Kroger supermarket.
McAdrian Martin, a shopper who was inside the store at the time, captured the incident on video and later shared it with local news outlets. In his footage, students are seen running through aisles, chanting about ICE, and heading straight for the beer and wine section. What followed was swift and chaotic: cans and bottles were ripped from shelves and hurled toward the store’s ceiling. Ceiling tiles were damaged. A fellow customer was struck in the head by a flying projectile — though the injury was not severe enough to require paramedics.
“It was 50-plus students coming at once,” Martin told reporters. “They were throwing chants about ICE, and then they went to the beer section and started throwing alcohol cans and bottles at the ceiling. A customer got hit in the head.”
A store security system sounded and an employee ordered the students out. The group then ran through the front doors and dispersed.

School District and Police Respond
The North College Hill City School District wasted no time in condemning the behavior. Superintendent Dr. Eugene Blalock Jr. issued a public statement calling the video “disturbing” and declared that the parents and families of those students “should be embarrassed.” The district pledged to work alongside the North College Hill Police Department to identify those responsible and hold them accountable.
Police confirmed that officers had been present at the walkout to monitor safety, maintain order, and prevent traffic hazards. When the situation inside the Kroger escalated, officers intervened. Two students were arrested during the protest — though police clarified those arrests were tied to a separate, pre-existing incident rather than the store rampage itself.
Interim Police Chief Craig Chaney acknowledged the students’ constitutional right to peaceful assembly in a public statement but drew a firm line: “When actions moved beyond peaceful expression and began affecting public safety and private property rights, officers intervened to restore order.” The investigation into the Kroger incident remains active and ongoing.
North College Hill City Councilmember Kathy Cureton echoed similar sentiments, telling local outlet WLWT that while she fully supports the right to peaceful protest, those who entered the store “crossed a line” and put innocent bystanders in harm’s way.
Broader Context: A Wave of Anti-ICE Walkouts
The North College Hill incident did not happen in isolation. The Cincinnati area has seen a surge in student-led demonstrations opposing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) throughout February 2026, with hundreds of students marching in solidarity with protests that began in Minneapolis earlier in the month. Organizers say the demonstrations are a direct response to national immigration enforcement actions affecting families in local communities.
The walkouts have drawn both support and scrutiny. Some elected officials and community leaders have praised students for civic engagement. Others have raised concerns about the organizing forces behind what is billed as a spontaneous student movement, with some observers questioning the involvement of adult-run advocacy organizations in coordinating the protests.
The Witness Speaks Out
For Martin, who was simply trying to do his grocery shopping when chaos erupted around him, the incident crossed every line.
“What happened was a group of North College Hills students came in — they were being loud and obnoxious. They were damaging property and interfering with other customers,” he said in an interview with Fox News Digital. “I do think that whoever is responsible for the chaos ought to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the court.”
His video has now been viewed millions of times and has fueled a heated national conversation about the distinction between protected protest and criminal vandalism — and what accountability should look like for minors who cross that line.
As of publication, investigations are ongoing. School officials and law enforcement continue to review footage to identify students involved in the store incident.