An Ohio Democratic Party booth was abruptly removed from the Ashland County Fair Thursday after officials said it displayed politically charged buttons deemed inappropriate for a family-friendly event.
Fair organizers stated they acted after noticing buttons targeting President Donald Trump.
One showed a red baseball cap labeled “felon” with the question, “Is he dead yet?” Another read, “One day we will wake up to his obituary.”
Officials stressed the decision was about maintaining a safe, family-friendly environment.
“We are a family friendly fair and do not condone this from any vendor/merchant. We apologize for those who saw the display,” the Facebook post said.
The Ashland County Democratic Party responded that the buttons were poorly considered but denied promoting violence.
“We express our ideas using our words and peaceful demonstrations. We do not and will never endorse political violence,” the party said in a statement.
The comments come amid a tense political climate following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot on Sept. 10 just minutes into his “American Comeback Tour” at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.
The Charlotte Observer noted that law enforcement acted quickly.
Ashland County Sheriff Kurt Schneider confirmed that the Secret Service is investigating the incident and, according to ABC 5, said he is considering whether criminal charges may be warranted over the display.
“We will look at all of the information from a fact standpoint to determine what, if any, violations of Ohio criminal law have been committed,” Schneider said.
RedState reported that the buttons were widely viewed as a veiled call to violence against the president, drawing attention to coded references allegedly identifying Trump as the 47th president.
The incident underscores a broader trend of escalating political rhetoric, which critics say has increasingly targeted conservatives and real-world incidents of violence against them.
Critics note that inflammatory messaging on the left has emboldened extremist behavior, creating tangible risks for conservative political figures and activists.
In the wake of the controversy, attention has also turned to former FBI Director James Comey, whose social media post drew widespread criticism for appearing to endorse violent rhetoric.
The post, widely condemned, intensified discussions about the impact of high-profile figures using coded or provocative language online.
The Democratic Party framed the removal as censorship, claiming local Republican officials are silencing their speech.
Party leaders labeled the episode “part of a dangerous pattern” of authorities allegedly using government power to suppress opposition voices.
Ashland County, located roughly 90 miles northeast of Columbus, continues to enforce family-friendly policies at the fair.
Officials reiterated that while political expression is permitted, any messaging crossing into threats or violent language is unacceptable.
The episode demonstrates the fine line between free speech and public safety in politically charged environments, especially after recent events.
Overall, the removal of the Democratic booth at the Ashland County Fair highlights the tension between political expression and safety concerns.
With increasing incidents of violence and threats linked to extreme rhetoric, officials, law enforcement and federal authorities are closely monitoring events to prevent further escalation while balancing constitutional protections.
