Recent discord between local residents divided over the war in Iraq has hit another sour note — an event at Conneaut Lake, where both sides were present, resulted in an alleged brief physical confrontation. And a harassment charge has been filed against one sympathizer of the peace group.

Ann DeWalt, an 82-year-old Conneaut Lake-area resident, has been charged with harassment for allegedly kicking a 33-year-old Iraq war veteran in the behind during a vigil last month.

If found guilty, DeWalt, who says she will plead innocent to the charges, faces up to 90 days in jail, a maximum $300 fine, plus $127 in court costs if convicted of the summary harassment charge filed by Conneaut Lake Regional Police Department.

Police allege DeWalt kicked Jason Swartout of Townville while she was participating in an anti-war protest at Memorial Park at the lake Jan. 19 at 12:28 p.m.

“It’s ridiculous,” Swartout, an Iraq war veteran, said of the whole situation — especially, he added, since he served in the military defending the rights of all Americans including those who want to protest the war.

DeWalt plans to enter her not-guilty plea next Thursday morning at a hearing before Linesville Area Magisterial District Judge Rita Marwood, but admitted to bumping Swartout’s backside with her foot.

“It was stupid of me to give into his jerkiness,” she said Thursday. “I did push him with my foot.”

Swartout said he wasn’t hurt in the incident.

Both claim provocation by the other led to the physical confrontation that day, and both deny provoking the other.

The Internet site YouTube has posted a video taken at the park on Jan. 19, but it doesn’t contain any footage of the alleged incident.

Swartout said he and his wife drove to Conneaut Lake to counterprotest the Women in Black, a group that supports having the United States pull its military forces out of Iraq.

Swartout claims he parked his van along the curb in front of the park on Water Street. He said he was getting a U.S. flag and a sign out of the back of the van when he was confronted by Ann DeWalt and her husband, Fred.

“They asked, ‘What the hell is this?,’ and I said, ‘The cavalry is here,’ ” Swartout said.