A psychologist for Indianapolis Public Schools was among those held when police arrested 14 masked adults who officers said were blocking traffic late last month just outside the Governor’s Residence in the state capital.

The school psychologist, Karisa Cole, and the other arrested protesters were charged with obstructing traffic April 25 at 10:30 a.m. on Meridian Street in Indianapolis. 

In public statements that morning, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department warned that although peaceful protesting is constitutionally protected, blocking traffic violates Indiana law. 

After brief remarks and a collective chant calling for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war and for Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, a Republican, to divest from doing business with Israel, the protesters crossed into Meridian Street and blocked traffic.

When police officers arrived, they asked the protesters to leave the roadway multiple times. When the protesters didn’t move, officers arrested the 14 obstructers, who began to sing as officers pulled them off the street.

Cole, 45, appears to own several social media accounts that advertise her employment as a school psychologist by Indianapolis Public Schools since 2020. They include multiple anti-Israeli and antisemitic posts, including promotion of the ethnic-cleansing motto of the Hamas terrorist organization, “From the River to the Sea.” (This motto calls for Jews west of the Jordan River to be swept violently into the Mediterranean Sea to make room for the Islamic State of Palestine).

Cole’s Instagram account, marked by “she/they” personal pronouns, includes instructions for teachers to “adopt social justice and anti-racist teaching skills” when “teaching about Palestine in the classroom.” 

Cole warned teachers not to put Israel and Palestine on the “same level,” accusing Israel of being an apartheid state that is “committing an ethnic cleansing.”

Cole also encouraged teachers not to describe Hamas as “extremist” or “terrorist.” She accused those who do so of racism “against Muslim or POC [people of color] communities.” 

Hamas has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States and other NATO countries since 1997. 

Hamas terrorists invaded southern Israel on Oct. 7, slaughtering 1,200, torturing or raping many first, and taking over 200 hostages. Ever since, the Israeli military has targeted the adjacent Gaza Strip—where Hamas is the elected government and uses civilians as shields—with the goal of “eradicating” the terrorist group.

The Daily Signal obtained Cole’s booking photograph and other public information about her arrest from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. 

Indianapolis Public Schools did not respond to The Daily Signal’s request for comment on whether the school district was aware of Cole’s arrest or what if any action it has taken as a result. 

The Indianapolis Center for Inquiry School 70, the building where Cole works, lists her as a school psychologist on its staff page.

Cole didn’t respond to requests for comment and confirmation that she owns the social media accounts cited above. However, the school psychologist’s LinkedIn account was deleted after The Daily Signal reached out.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WPTA) – Two people have been arrested in connection to what WTHR reports as a road rage shooting on I-65 near the 102.2 mile marker in Indianapolis, officials with the Indiana State Police (ISP) say.

ISP officers say just after 1 p.m. on Wednesday, May 1, they received reports of a possible shooting and a car running off the road into a pond. When responders first arrived, they found a man unconscious on the grass near a pond where officers later determined his car had gone into. Police say the man was later pronounced dead at the scene.

According to a release from the police, Andre Briski of Indianapolis and Shawna Rowland of Greenwood were arrested pending the following charges on Thursday, May 2:

• Andre Briski
  • Murder
  • Possession of a firearm by a prohibited person
• Shawna Rowland of Greenwood
  • Assisting a Criminal
  • Obstruction of Justice

Officials say key information provided by witnesses who called to report the incident led to detectives being able to identify the suspect vehicle quickly which in turn led police to arrest Briski and Rowland.

This is an ongoing investigation by the Indiana State Police.

Copyright 2024 WPTA. All rights reserved.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Temperatures remain above average for much of the extended forecast

This morning:

Showers are pushing through the area here this morning. Most of the rain activity is relatively light. Temperatures remain fairly mild, with numbers hovering around 70 this morning.

Friday:

We will continue with our rain and thunderstorm chances for the morning hours. We should start to gradually dry things out by the afternoon with cloudy skies. We can’t rule out an isolated shower storm after lunchtime, but those should be few and far between.

The rainfall amount should be less than half an inch across the state.

High temperatures will top out only in the mid-70s this afternoon.

This weekend:

It should be quiet, cloudy, and somewhere foggy overnight. Temperatures will fall to the upper 50s and lower 60s.

We should have a lot of quiet time over the weekend. No weather issues for the Indy mini marathon on Saturday morning. Temperatures will be hovering in the lower 60s for step-off times. A few spotty thunderstorms will be possible with the heat of the day. High temperatures will top out around 80°.

A broken line of showers and thunderstorms could push through the state late Saturday night or very early Sunday morning. That should clear the area before daybreak on Sunday. The rest of Sunday looks to be partly to mostly cloudy skies and highs into the mid-70s.

8 day forecast:

The weather looks to remain active heading into the next week, with several rain and thunderstorm chances each and every day. As of right now, Monday’s chances are fairly limited. The better chances for thunderstorms will be Tuesday and Wednesday, and a few of those storms could be severe. 

Temperatures look to remain above average for this time of year.