02/29/08 —



Recent discord between local residents divided over the war in Iraq has hit another sour note — an event at Conneaut Lake, where both sides were present, resulted in an alleged brief physical confrontation. And a harassment charge has been filed against one sympathizer of the peace group.

Ann DeWalt, an 82-year-old Conneaut Lake-area resident, has been charged with harassment for allegedly kicking a 33-year-old Iraq war veteran in the behind during a vigil last month.

If found guilty, DeWalt, who says she will plead innocent to the charges, faces up to 90 days in jail, a maximum $300 fine, plus $127 in court costs if convicted of the summary harassment charge filed by Conneaut Lake Regional Police Department.

Police allege DeWalt kicked Jason Swartout of Townville while she was participating in an anti-war protest at Memorial Park at the lake Jan. 19 at 12:28 p.m.

“It’s ridiculous,” Swartout, an Iraq war veteran, said of the whole situation — especially, he added, since he served in the military defending the rights of all Americans including those who want to protest the war.

DeWalt plans to enter her not-guilty plea next Thursday morning at a hearing before Linesville Area Magisterial District Judge Rita Marwood, but admitted to bumping Swartout’s backside with her foot.

“It was stupid of me to give into his jerkiness,” she said Thursday. “I did push him with my foot.”

Swartout said he wasn’t hurt in the incident.

Both claim provocation by the other led to the physical confrontation that day, and both deny provoking the other.

The Internet site YouTube has posted a video taken at the park on Jan. 19, but it doesn’t contain any footage of the alleged incident.

Swartout said he and his wife drove to Conneaut Lake to counterprotest the Women in Black, a group that supports having the United States pull its military forces out of Iraq.

Swartout claims he parked his van along the curb in front of the park on Water Street. He said he was getting a U.S. flag and a sign out of the back of the van when he was confronted by Ann DeWalt and her husband, Fred.

“They asked, ‘What the hell is this?,’ and I said, ‘The cavalry is here,’ ” Swartout said.

Swartout claims he was standing in the street behind his van and next to the curb when Fred DeWalt told him not to stand there.

“He started pushing me and his wife kicked me,” Swartout said of what happened next.

The DeWalts said Fred never touched Swartout. Fred hasn’t been charged by police.

Ann said she is not a member of Women in Black but is a sympathizer with the organization, while her husband is a member of Crawford County Veterans for Peace.

Ann claims that after Swartout got his flag and sign out of the van, Swartout came up to Fred and swore in his ear.

“He said two filthy words,” Ann claims and she said that’s when she pushed Swartout in his buttocks with her foot.

Swartout denies swearing at either of the DeWalts.

Women in Black had been holding rallies in Meadville’s Diamond Park on Saturdays at noon for several years, but last April 28 the group squared off peacefully with a group of veterans, military families and others.

Patrick McHenry, a Vietnam War veteran and the county’s coroner, got a permit for a Saturday mid-day rally, organizing his group at the same time Meadville’s Women in Black used the park for its weekly vigil.

McHenry organized his rally after being told of allegations of a serviceman’s wife being harassed when she stood on the sidelines of Diamond Park during a previous vigil by Women in Black.

McHenry said as holder of a permit to use the park that he wouldn’t allow attempts to disrupt his event and claimed exclusive use to the park as he saw fit for the hours specified by the permit. That rally was attended by dozens of local veterans.

Meanwhile, the Women in Black, Crawford County Veterans for Peace and the Erie Peace Coalition hosted an hour-long, silent march around the outside of the park from noon to 1 p.m., while McHenry’s group rallied inside the Diamond. The day ended peacefully, but the city was prompted to review its policy on the use of Diamond Park.

Meadville City Council this week gave preliminary approval to revisions to a new ordinance governing city parades, public assemblies and the use of Diamond Park. Council is expected to give final approval to the new ordinance next month.

Members of Women in Black declined comment on the Jan. 19 incident. Recently, the group reportedly has decided to host the Saturday vigils at various locations other than the Diamond.