A confrontation at an anti-abortion demonstration in East Bremerton grew heated March 30, but not because of a conflict over the issue, but from a neighbor angry at the honks and obscenities the protest draws from passing traffic.

A Kitsap County sheriff’s deputy was called to Bremerton Health Center, 623 NE Riddell Road, where anti-abortion advocates have staged demonstrations periodically for years. Two demonstrators said a 47-year-old man who lives nearby had approached them, yelled at them and threatened them, according to reports.

The demonstrators had a video camera with them and recorded the confrontation. The two men, a 41-year-old Belfair man and a 63-year-old Bremerton man, said they wanted to pursue criminal charges against the suspect.

The deputy knew the man from previous complaints about the noise, which he said disturbs his wife,  who works nights, and results in her losing sleep. He said he was upset because he had seen the demonstrators waving their signs to encourage honking.

The deputy said the honking was a traffic violation, and increased motorcycle patrols could help, “but advised we couldn’t do anything about the people yelling obscenities,” the deputy wrote.

Some suggestions the deputy listed were to wear earplugs, use a fan to create white noise and build a fence.