Two charged after altercation at Galion abortion rights rally

Two people were charged with disorderly conduct Sunday during an altercation at a pro-abortion rights rally in Galion.

One of those people — James Erwin, 75, of Galion — was arrested because he persisted in his actions, according to Marc Rodriguez, chief of the Galion Police Department.

“If you’re given a warning to desist or to stop and you continue doing it, that elevates the offense,” Rodriguez said.

Erwin was still behind bars at the Crawford County Justice Center as of Monday afternoon, according to Diana Jones, technical coordinator for the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office.

Erwin has an arraignment scheduled for Aug. 2.

‘A heated conversation’

The incident took place shortly after 2 p.m. Sunday when about a dozen people arrived downtown for the proabortion rights rally, which was organized by Samantha Davis, who moved to Galion from Columbus this summer.

Davis said there were a handful of anti-abortion rights advocates at the city’s square when they arrived.

She said Erwin immediately brought his anti-abortion rights sign over to their rally.

“The point of our planning this was to have open dialogue,” Davis said. “He wasn’t going to have that.”

The police chief said that officers concluded Erwin approached Renee Coates, 44, of Mansfield, who was part of the rally.

“They were having a heated conversation, kind of up in each other’s face over abortion and the recent changes in laws,” Rodriguez said. “It continued to escalate, and apparently he slapped her and she slapped him back.”

‘It was not the peaceful rally that we had hoped for’

Both were charged with minor misdemeanor disorderly conduct and ordered to behave the rest of the afternoon.

Eventually, the man made his way back to the pro-abortion rights crowd.

“The next thing I know, there’s a tussle,” Davis said. “It was not the peaceful rally that we had hoped for.”

A woman from the rally ended up on the ground, and police returned to the scene.

The police chief said Erwin had his minor misdemeanor charge increased to fourth-degree misdemeanor disorderly conduct, and was taken into custody “because he just continued to go after the participants.”

Rodriguez said there were no other issues throughout the remainder of the rally.

As for Davis, she plans to attend Erwin’s arraignment on Aug. 2.

“We’re going to support our fellow protester,” Davis said. “Luckily there were no injuries for anybody.” ztuggle@gannett.com 419-564-3508