Protesters target homes of Akron officials following city's pandemic gathering ban

Akron officials trying to curb the spread of COVID-19 are attracting protesters to the front of their homes.

Larry Seeley, a Ward 3 resident and part of the Facebook group "Akronites For Freedom," is one of about a dozen people who has been protesting at the home of Akron officials. 

The protests have been small, but they’ve caused enough commotion that one of Mayor Dan Horrigan’s neighbors rescheduled Thanksgiving.

More:COVID-19: Few complaints, no fines after week of Akron's private gathering rules

"They’re demanding their right to speak to the mayor, while trampling all of our rights to a peaceful neighborhood,” the neighbor said.

The protests focus on an ordinance passed by Akron City Council that limits private social gatherings to only six guests during parties, dinner or other social events through Dec. 16. It also requires masks be worn inside the home when people who don't live there are present.

The council hopes to slow the spread of COVID-19 cases, which have been surging everywhere this month. Summit County could be ranked purple, the highest risk level on Ohio's coronavirus advisory map next week.

Seeley said the protesters are "standing up for our constitutional rights." 

"We think they're going way overboard with this," Seeley said, while standing outside Council President's Margo Sommerville's home Wednesday night. "People have the right to make their own decisions."

Seeley said he and others have protested several times, first at City Hall before protesting at Horrigan's home. 

He said the plan now is to protest at the homes of each council member who voted for the ordinance, which is what brought them to Sommerville's home on Wednesday.

"Being that Margo Sommerville is the president of City Council, and she put her name on the mandate, we decided to take it to her," he said. 

According to a North Hill resident who has lived near Horrigan for decades, protesters were outside the mayor’s home both Saturday and Sunday.

The Beacon Journal is not naming the neighbor to protect her privacy, but it has confirmed her identity and that she lives near the mayor. Police records also confirm some details of her story.

She said the protests started at about 7 p.m. Saturday with two men outside the mayor’s home — one wore a “pink gorilla suit” with an American flag draped around him like a cape.

She said one man was loud and playing music and that they used a bullhorn. The neighbor said they had about six different issues they seemed to be protesting. 

Akron police Lt. Michael Miller said 911 call logs provided details from Saturday and Sunday that matched parts of her account. He said officers were called out both days and spoke with protesters about trespassing and noise issues. 

On Sunday, a dozen men came, holding banners supporting President Donald Trump, American flags and a Confederate flag. A number of things were protested, including the limits on private gatherings, masks and “who knows what else,” she said. 

On Saturday, a protester called police reporting that a neighbor was getting in his face. On Sunday, Miller said a 911 caller described people in trucks yelling and screaming, some with bullhorns.

On both days, Miller said protesters listened to police about not using bullhorns and left before 9 p.m.

The neighbor said she rescheduled Thanksgiving because she feared they'd be back Thursday. After living near the mayor all these years, she said it’s the first time she’s dealt with anything like this. 

“It was shocking. It was shocking to see," she said.

More:Akron caps guests at private parties to slow spread of COVID-19

More:Critics say law limiting private gatherings puts Akron police in more danger

Seeley said he and others plan to drive by city officials' homes to take photos and see  who's there, but that they won't protest on the holiday. 

"I know in our homes, we're going to do whatever we want," Seeley said of the holiday. 

He said they feel the state's 10 p.m. curfew and other rules are too far-reaching, and that he feels they violate constitutional rights. They also feel the enforcement puts police officers in a bad position. 

As of Wednesday morning, only 12 complaints have been called in to Akron police about gatherings. Summit County Public Health said some complaints are pending, but no fines have been handed out. 

Seeley said things like gatherings and mask wearing should be personal choice. He said the protests will continue. 

"There's not going to be no peace until our demands are met," he said. "We want the mask mandate and the gathering mandate and the curfew rescinded. We're not going to allow our rights to be trampled on."

While the protesters were upset with recent orders, Horrigan's neighbor said she’s supported the mayor’s actions regarding COVID-19.

“I think he’s been nothing but reasonable,” the neighbor said. “I mean he's taken responsibility for being proactive against the virus. We haven't had any kind of unified front out of the federal government.”

The Facebook group “Akronites For Freedom” was started the same day the council voted to limit private gatherings.  Its group bio said it’s for “Akronites standing together against Totalitarianism & Authoritarianism.”

The group is private, but allowed a Beacon Journal reporter to join. People who join are asked their feelings about the “Proud Boys” and First Amendment. 

The group has more than 450 members. It’s relatively active with constant posts, but only a handful of people have shown up to events so far. 

Included in the group are posts encouraging protests at Horrigan’s and other officials' homes. One live video, posted by Seeley on Saturday, tells “freedom fighters” to show up at his home. 

Many of the posts in “Akronites For Freedom” are memes with misinformation about masks, posts about how the government is “tyranny,” concerns over constitutional rights being violated or criticisms of Akron officials.

Horrigan’s neighbor said she doesn’t blame the mayor for the protests, which she said have been causing a scene. She said if people want to protest they should do it downtown or at the mayor’s office.

She compared the protests to the ones that happened outside of former Ohio Health Director Amy Acton’s home.

“I don't blame him for not coming out, because you don’t negotiate with terrorists, and that's all these guys are,” she said. “They’re bullies.”

Reach Sean McDonnell at 330-996-3186 or smcdonnell@thebeaconjournal.com.