ANGELICA -- It was meant to protest the abridging of their religious freedom, but the Hari Krishna protest march in Angelica Sunday drew interest from visitors to the village.
Visitors to Angelica Sunday afternoon were greeted by a small protest march by Hari Krishna Stephen Voith and his family. Starting at their home on the far end of Main Street the Voith family along with their goat and a cow pulling a small cart marched to Park Circle There television cameras captured Voith's complaints about the village board allegedly violating his religious freedom. According to Voith's statement, the village government has "superseded its powers by requiring them to obtain a permit to house farm animals on their property located in the village."
Along the way shoppers, who were visiting Angelica, stopped to watch the family and a handful of supporters parade along the street. Stephen Voith danced and played his drum and led the group in chanting.
David Payne, stepped out of the Angelica Country Store and Antiques to watch. He and his wife were in town to purchase antiques. They're from Canandaigua. "It's kind of interesting," he observed. "I don't know about his hair. Seems like he'd be putting barbers out of business, but he's free to express himself. It's a free country," he said.
Payne added that seeing the protest march wouldn't deter him from coming back to Angelica. "This is a pretty little town and there are a lot of nice things This just makes it a little more interesting," he said.
"We don't see crazy things like this in Cleveland," said another visitor to the village. She and her family were busy loading antiques, purchased from Heritage Antiques, into their SUV when the Hari Krishna protest passed. "It's kind of funny, but everyone should have to obey the laws," she said.
The family had driven in from Binghamton earlier in the day, and said that the protest march also would not stop them from returning to Angelica for antiquing.
Belfast resident Randa Harrington was driving by Park Circle when her sons asked her to stop after seeing the gathering. Returning to their vehicle, she said, "This kind of thing doesn't bother me." She added that seeing freedom of expression and the right to protest is good for the children. Ian Harrington, 9, agreed saying, "I know what they're doing. They have the right to protest."
Angelica resident Jason Tallman said he had no problem with the protest. "They aren't causing any problem. I don't know why the town just doesn't leave them alone."
In January, Voith was ordered by the village board to remove his three cows and one goat from his Angelica residence. After the board refused to grant a permit for the animals, the Voiths were given 20 days to remove the animals. The deadline was Saturday.
A village justice found Stephen Voith guilty of more than 100 counts of harboring farm animals without a permit in December. Their case to appeal the judgment will be heard later this week in county court.