Ohio Democrats Booted From County Fair After Selling ‘86 47’ Buttons and Violent Merch
The Ashland County Democratic Party was removed from a family event after fairgoers spotted political buttons and paraphernalia that many found disgusting and threatening. The display showed imagery and language that crossed the line from political speech into what a lot of people view as calls to violence. That reaction followed a week in which the nation was still reeling from the assassination of conservative leader Charlie Kirk on September 10.
People come to county fairs for corn dogs, tractor pulls, and safe family time, not to be confronted with merchandise that seems to celebrate violence. The fair board acted quickly after complaints, and many on the right saw that as the only sensible outcome. This episode raises hard questions about how far political expression can go before it becomes a threat to public safety.
Witnesses photographed a table of items that anyone strolling past with kids could see, and the imagery was explicit enough to alarm neighbors. The display included imagery tied to the president and language that some readers took as a direct invitation to harm. The line between crude rhetoric and violent incitement is not complicated; when you advertise “Is he dead yet?” at a family event, you have left the realm of acceptable political commentary.
A Facebook user took a photo of the buttons. They depict a red hat with words such as “Fascist” and “Resist.” Smaller text reads “Is he dead yet?” and “One day, we will wake up to his obituary.”
Some of them also contained “8647,” a political code interpreted by some as a call to violence against President Trump.
The public reaction was swift and loud, because most people do not want kids exposed to images that celebrate bloodshed. Fair organizers said they are a family-friendly event and moved to remove the booth once they were made aware of what was being displayed. That decision was met with approval from fairgoers who had come for wholesome entertainment, not for a gallery of hate.
“We are a family friendly fair and do not condone this from any vendor/merchant. We apologize for those who saw the display. The democrat (sic) party has been asked to pack their booth up for this year so they not be here (for the remainder) of our fair week. This is not political, we just can’t have this at our county fair,” reads the post.
Local law enforcement also took notice, making clear that threats and veiled calls to violence are not something to shrug off. The sheriff emphasized that violence and threats have no place in the community and that the matter would be shared with federal authorities as appropriate. Law enforcement treating these symbols seriously is exactly what a community should expect when public safety is involved.
“Violence shouldn’t be tolerated in any way, in any venue in any jurisdiction in the United States and it certainly won’t be tolerated here in Ashland County,”
The specific code seen on some items has a disturbing interpretation that should unsettle anyone who values civil discourse. “8647,” meaning: “86”=murder, “47”=the 47th president, Trump. Oh yeah, from former FBI Director James “St. Jim” Comey, a man who did more to politicize the system of justice in our country than virtually anyone else besides former Attorney General Merrick Garland.
That coded language isn’t just a slogan; it’s a threat dressed up as politics, and treating it as anything else normalizes violent rhetoric. Conservatives understand that free speech is vital, but it doesn’t shield true threats or targeted incitement to violence. When political operatives or supporters cross that line, community institutions must respond to keep people safe and keep events family friendly.
This isn’t politics. This is deranged, bloodthirsty hatred.
And it’s being normalized by the Democratic Party.
The timing of this incident, coming after a national tragedy, makes it even more painful for many who hoped the country would cool down. At the memorial for Charlie Kirk, crowds showed unity and resolve, while leaders warned that evil still walks among us. As Vice President JD Vance said in his speech, “evil still walks among us.”
There’s no excuse for bringing merchandise to a county fair that seems to celebrate murder or hints at targeting a single individual. Whether done by a local party or someone else, these displays have consequences — they erode trust, they frighten families, and they invite law enforcement scrutiny. Communities should insist on safe, respectful public spaces, and organizers must be empowered to enforce that standard without partisan pushback.
The Ashland County Democratic Party revealed a side of political expression that many find poisonous and dangerous, and fair organizers made the right call to protect families. If a political movement tolerates or normalizes imagery that reads like a hit list, it loses the moral high ground and invites justified condemnation. Those responsible for setting up such displays should be barred from family events and publicly rebuked until they demonstrate a commitment to civilized discourse.
