Controversial July 4 Celebration to Go Forth, Organizers Say

June 30, 2020 by Amy Patterson

Although Gov. Mike DeWine’s coronavirus closure orders prohibit parades and other mass gatherings until at least July 3, that’s not stopping a group of Geauga County residents who plan to parade their freedom July 4, no matter what the state says.

“Governor DeWine can shove it up his nose,” Mario Innocenzi told Facebook followers in a live video June 29. “He lets protesters riot, destroy, burn, beat – but patriots, veterans cannot have a parade. I call bullshit.”

Innocenzi, of Claridon Township, is active in the Geauga County Tea Party and earlier this year, worked with Diane and Tim Grendell to organize GeaugaCares4U, a charity group set up to help those struggling with COVID-related shutdowns.

A U.S. Army veteran, Innocenzi said the July 4 march is intended to replace the township’s traditional Fourth of July parade, which was canceled under the Ohio Department of Health and DeWine’s orders.

“I don’t care if you’re Black, white, green, purple, Democrat, Republican, it doesn’t matter – this is the Fourth of July,” he said in a phone interview.

The event — first billed as a parade, later re-branded as a march, and on June 30, a vehicular-only procession — is not being organized by any official group, but individuals wishing to exercise their First Amendment right to assemble, Chester Township Trustee Skip Claypool said.

Claypool said the change to vehicular-only was made after a June 30 discussion with Geauga Public Health Commissioner Tom Quade.

Claypool said he feels the governor is acting as a dictator in prohibiting public events.

“I’m livid,” he said by phone. “We can do whatever we want, we have a First Amendment right to assemble. It’s a public highway – we pay for that highway.”

Although it was initially promoted on social media as a parade sponsored by the Geauga County Conservative Club with a “Trump 2020 Keep America Great” logo, Innocenzi said the political messaging was removed to make it clear this event is intended to be non-partisan and welcoming to all.

Pushback from public officials over health concerns is “crazy,” he said.

“Nobody wants to get in trouble, no one wants to give any trouble, it’s not that type of party,” Innocenzi said in a phone interview. “I mean, we’re not here to burn down buildings or vandalize statues, we’re here just to celebrate the United States of America, carry American flags down the street with pride. That’s it.”

The worry over partisanship created a stumbling block for organizers who intended to stage the event from the parking lot of West Geauga High School. West Geauga Schools Superintendent Richard Markwardt said the district withdrew permission to use WGHS after discussion of the event “took on a decidedly political tone” on Facebook.

“The hosting of political events on school property is prohibited by board policy,” Markwardt said. “I know that some are claiming that the Freedom March is merely an Independence Day celebration, but I read otherwise on Facebook. My action is not politically-driven; it is simply the only decision compliant with board policy.”

On June 29, Claypool said those wanting to march in the parade with political signs could meet at the Bessie Benner Metzenbaum Center on Cedar Road, but marchers with non-political signs were welcome to use the WGHS parking lot.

Markwardt clarified that statement June 30, explaining the district will not prevent participants from parking cars in the high school lot, but board policy does not permit political activity on school grounds. Claypool later said the procession will start north of WGHS, near Cedar road.

The Chester Township Police Department will not fully close the march route along state Route 306 to state Route 322, Claypool said, adding, however, he spoke with Police Chief Mark Purchase and was assured the road would be partially closed, with police directing traffic at intersections and passing traffic slowed to make the event as safe as possible.

Purchase confirmed June 30 officers will be working to make sure people exercising their First Amendment rights will get to where they are going safely.

“When something like this happens, public safety is the main concern,” Purchase said, adding cruisers have been dispatched to ensure traffic and pedestrian safety for recent protests on the corner of routes 306 and 322, as well as in the past for a fundraising walk.

Because Chester Township is a township and not a city, organizers of this event were not required to apply for a permit, Claypool said.

Even so, planning the event has been more complicated than he anticipated.

“For crying out loud, it’s a parade, it’s going to last 45 minutes,” he said. “Of all the people I’ve talked to I’ve not heard one person say you shouldn’t be doing this. They all like it and they think it’s a good idea.”

One of Claypool’s colleagues, Chester Township Trustee Ken Radtke, strongly disagreed with that characterization.

“I have publicly stated that as an elected official, I believe government has a role in reducing risks and exposures to prevent further spread of COVID-19, and we as the township government should not be sponsoring, organizing or participating in events that increase that risk,” Radtke said in an email June 30.

Radtke added he strongly supports the rights of the people to peaceably assemble and exercise their Constitutional rights, but while people have the right to peaceably assemble, those who exercise their freedom of choice to not participate in or attend the parade, and who might become infected from someone who was exposed at the parade, should also be considered.

“I also want the public to understand that the Chester Township government is not organizing this parade and that Mr. Claypool is acting as a private person,” Radtke said.