FREEPORT – A rally for the Freeport Flag Ladies on Tuesday morning turned somber after a pedestrian was hit by a car and injured.

Almost 150 people stood on Main Street Dec. 22 in support of the flag ladies, who have gathered at the corner of Main and School streets to wave American flags every Tuesday morning since 9/11. The crowd was there to stand up for the women, who claim they’ve been harassed by another resident.

Also there in support of the flag ladies was the accident victim, who was struck by a car while walking in the crosswalk at the top of School Street. Freeport Police Chief Gerald Schofield i?dentified the woman as Rhoda O’Leary?, 56,? of Norway?, who was transported to Maine Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries.?

The Freeport Flag Ladies – JoAnn Miller, Carmen Footer and Elaine Greene – claim they’ve been harassed by Liza Moore. For three weeks Moore stood on the same street corner at the same time as the flag ladies, holding signs expressing support for refugees.

Moore’s former husband, James M. Roux, died on 9/11 aboard one of the hijacked airliners. The flag ladies have a protection of harassment order against Moore’s son, James Roux III, who disturbed a 9/11 ceremony this year while the flag ladies were speaking. Charges against Roux, who was handcuffed and taken away by police, were later dropped.

Moore, a computer teacher at Mast Landing School, was not at Tuesday’s rally, but several Freeport High School students were there to support her.

“We wanted to come out and support Liza,” Lily Johnston said. “We didn’t come out to be in opposition to the flag ladies.”

The students had signs of support both for Moore and for refugees. They said that after speaking with Miller, Footer and Greene, they believe both sides ultimately want the same thing.

“We want everyone, the flag ladies and us, to have freedom of speech,” Maddie Squibb said.

Organizations like the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association and the Patriot Riders, and individuals including Maine first lady Ann LePage, were at the rally Tuesday.

“When we heard they were getting harassed, we didn’t like that,” Steve Shephard, of the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association, said. “They shouldn’t be harassed for what they believe in.”

LePage, who said she comes to stand with the Freeport Flag Ladies once a month, said her presence at the rally was “not at all” political.

“These are just people who love this country,” she said. “It’s anything but political.”

?The driver of the black GMC ?Yukon that struck O’Leary was identified by police as?

?Yaselis Toohey, 41, of Portland, who was turning left onto School Street when the accident occurred. ?

A pedestrian was struck by a car at the intersection of Main and School streets in Freeport on Dec. 22 at a rally in support of the Freeport Flag Ladies.