Ohio protesters slam officials over handling of rape case

In the US state of Ohio, hundreds of protesters have gathered to condemn city officials over their mishandling of a rape case.

On Saturday, up to 1,000 protesters gathered in front of the Jefferson County Courthouse in the city of Steubenville, where two 16-year-old high school football players are charged with raping another teenage student at a party last August.

The rally was organized by the online hacker group “Anonymous”.

The case recently came to attention nationwide when Anonymous posted a picture online showing two young men carrying the rape victim by her wrists and ankles at a party. A video showing young men joking about the case was also released.

The protesters demanded that the Jefferson County Sheriff Fred Abdalla and other local officials quit their posts for taking part in what they called a cover-up of athletes, coaches, and local officials.

On Sunday, the lawyer for one of the football players asked a judge to postpone and move his client’s trial, arguing that the public anger caused by the case is threatening the safety of the defendants, witnesses, and the defense counsel as well.

The trial is scheduled for February 13 in Steubenville.