ATHENS, Ohio — An Athens woman accused of assaulting a protester in January pleaded guilty to an amended charge in Athens Municipal Court last week.
Gabriella Wolman, 36, of Athens, pleaded guilty to an amended charge of disorderly conduct, a minor misdemeanor, on March 8. Wolman also was fined $100 and ordered not to violate any local, state or federal laws for two years.
She was originally charged with first-degree misdemeanor assault, to which she pleaded not guilty in February, after kicking a protester during a demonstration outside Artifacts Gallery, 2 W. State St.
The protest was in demonstration against the business owner’s publicly stated transphobic views. As the Independent previously reported, Ohio University student Clay E. Lewis, 20, was among the protesters on the sidewalk outside Artifacts.
Lewis alleged that while Wolman and her husband were in the store, they “were banging on windows, attempting to intimidate [protesters], and overall creating a negative environment.”
As the couple exited the business, Lewis told them to “Suck my dick.” At that point, Lewis said, Wolman kicked him. Lewis did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday. The Independent did not hear back from Wolman’s attorney, Jeffrey L. Finley, in time for publication.
Wolman later told the Athens County Sheriff’s Office, while reporting Lewis for “harassment,” that after Lewis “made a rude remark to her, she kicked him in the shin.”
According to municipal court records, Wolman’s fines and court costs total $210.
CORRECTION: Due to conflicting records within the Athens County Municipal Court docket, an earlier version of this story stated Wolman pleaded no contest to the amended charge. She pleaded guilty.
