ATHENS, Ohio — While local Democratic Party officials and supporters privately gathered at the Athens Country Club last week to fundraise for U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown’s reelection campaign, 20 people protested, along the roadside, Brown’s support for Israel.
“We’re here because Sherrod Brown is supporting Israel’s war effort, and we are rallying to support the Palestinian people and to stop the slaughter and the deaths of innocent civilians,” Eric LeMay, a demonstrator, told the Independent.
The intergenerational group of protestors did not interrupt the fundraiser for Brown (D-Ohio) on Wednesday, Aug. 28. However, protestors did manage to demonstrate for hours along Country Club Road despite a heat advisory and the lack of available public property. They held signs, chanted and distributed pamphlets about the senator.
Protestors first appeared on the scene first around 4 p.m., when two people approached the entrance of the country club holding a banner. Law enforcement directed protestors to the roadside, on the edge of a yard of a private residence contiguous to the country club’s parking lot. The homeowners did not appear to be home. Throughout the demonstration, law enforcement directed protesters away from entering the roadway itself.
Two Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies and Sheriff Rodney Smith stood by throughout the event, until the senator left around 6:15 p.m. One of the deputies surveyed the demonstration from above utilizing a drone. ACSO Captain Bryan Cooper said ACSO could have technically charged any demonstrator with trespassing, if the homeowners had requested removal of the demonstrators, or if they stayed on country club property.
The number of protesters progressively grew to 22 by 6:30 p.m. through the use of shuttle transportation.
LeMay said he thinks Brown’s support for Israel does not accurately reflect the senator’s constituency.
“We feel that that’s a miscarriage of our representational voice,” LeMay said. “There’s a direct correlation between how our lives are here and how our government spends its money, right? And Sherrod Brown is one of the people that makes that decision on our behalf.”
Another demonstrator, who declined to give their name, said they were specifically protesting Brown’s acceptance of pro-Isreal political action committee dollars. According to OpenSecrets, Brown has received close to $1 million from pro-Israel interest groups between 1990 and 2024. including the American Israeli Political Action Committee, or AIPAC.
Brown said in a statement on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to congress, “I strongly believe that Israel has a clear and undeniable right to defend itself against Hamas’ brutal terrorism and I voted to send military aid to Israel, along with much-needed humanitarian aid to Gaza.”
Over 41,000 Palestinians had been killed by Israel in the current war as of Thursday, Sept. 5. More than 1,100 people were killed in Israel in the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas. U.N. experts have said Israel’s war on Gaza presents a “risk of genocide.”
Though the protest was largely peaceful, with demonstrators cooperating with law enforcement, a moment of confrontation occurred between the group and a local elected official.
After his arrival, Athens County Treasurer Ric Wasserman, a Democrat, exited his vehicle and approached the group, stating “I support Israel” and mentioned his support for the release of Hamas’ hostages. While driving out from the event, Wasserman flipped off the protestors.
LeMay found Wasserman’s conduct “disturbing.”
“It’s very disturbing, right, because here we are exercising our First Amendment right to try to voice our vision on a free Palestine, and then an end to the war, and an end to civilian slaughter, and here we have our elected representatives coming up and harassing us,” LeMay said.
In an email, Wasserman did not think harassment was an accurate way to characterize the interaction. “I went over to see if they would speak to someone one-on-one but they were only interested in yelling through their megaphones,” he said.
Wasserman added, “I don’t believe the way in which the Netanyahu government has addressed the situation is morally defensible but I also don’t believe that the US should cut off aid to Israel. American Jews are capable of keeping two thoughts in our heads at once. It’s a complicated issue with no easy answers and the solution will not come from shouting into megaphones or demonizing those who support the Jewish state.”
Other notable Athens County elected officials and candidates seen attending the fundraiser included Solveig Spjeldnes, Athens City Council, 1st Ward; Micah McCarey, Athens City Council, At-Large, and candidate for the Ohio House of Representatives for District 95 this fall; Lenny Eliason, Athens County Commissioner; Charlie Adkins, Athens County Commissioner, who is currently running for reelection this fall; and Wenda Sheard, candidate for the Ohio House of Representatives District 94.
Adkins, Athens Democratic Party Chair Lauren Dikis, Sheard and representatives of Brown’s communication team did not respond to requests for comment in time for publication. Eliason declined to comment.
Spjeldnes said in an email, “It’s puzzling that pro-Palestinian advocates want to risk the re-election of Senator Brown considering Bernie Moreno’s extreme Pro-Israeli stance mirroring or more aptly stated puppeting Trump. Brown is the most reasonable and caring Senator in the country for whom I am proud to support. The conflict is complicated and challenging to resolve. Brown is the person best able to analyze the situation and advocate for a reasonable outcome.”
McCarey said in an email he was invited to the fundraiser as a local elected official and candidate for Ohio House of Representatives for District 95.
“My support for Senator Brown is both personal and based on his impactful leadership. He recognized my community service with a 2002 Congressional Service Award during my junior year of high school, which planted the seed of purpose that grew into my decades of public service,” McCarey said in an email.
As a member of Athens City Council, McCarey noted in an email that he supported a city council resolution that called for “an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire in Israel and occupied Palestine.”
Asked about the Athens resolution, a Brown spokesperson previously told the Independent that Brown stands by military support for Israel.
Election Day is Nov. 5. To participate without using an absentee or provisional ballot, Ohio residents must register to vote by Oct. 7. Voters may register online. Find more information from the Athens County Board of Elections.
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