A disgruntled Trump supporter was caught on tape shouting homophobic slurs at a gay man for flying a flag on his front porch that said “Trump Lost LOL.”
Michael Challans was just slapped with a $100 citation by local police in Helena, Montana after he used “loud, profane, and offensive language” while harassing with his neighbor, Tim Mielke, from across the street.
Security camera footage shared on Reddit earlier this month shows Challans shouting at Mielke from across the street.
“When are you going to take your f*ggot-*ss flag down?” he yells for everyone in the neighborhood to hear.
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“When you take yours down,” Mielke replies, referring to the pro-Trump flag in Challans’ yard.
“F*cking queer,” Challans quips. “You’re in the wrong neighborhood. How about you go over to a f*cking Biden neighborhood?”
When Mielke tells Challans he’s “entitled to your opinion,” Challans keeps going.
“Of course someone like you would say that,” he replies. “That’s what all you f*cking f*gs say.” Then he calls him a “f*cking p*ssy.”
Trump supporter goes on homophobic diatribe over neighbor’s "Trump Lost LOL" flag. News link in comments. from PublicFreakout
Speaking to the Helena Independent Record, Challans called his citation “retarded” and said he has “no problems with gay people.”
He also accused Mielke of trying to “stir up problems” and said he doesn’t see any issue with the pro-Trump flag he’s flown in his own front yard for the last four years.
“This is my neighborhood,” he told the newspaper. “If you move in you will have to look at my stuff, if you like it or not… It’s my house, it’s my property. They ain’t censoring me.”
As for Mielke, he says he put up the anti-Trump flag in response to Challans’ pro-Trump flag because, “I just was sick of the entire neighborhood looking like it was for Trump. I wanted to let people know other views existed.”
Graham Gremore is the Features Editor and a Staff Writer at Queerty. Follow him on Twitter @grahamgremore.
MacAdvisor
The citation is a clear violation of the fellow’s First Amendment right of Free Speech. As much as I dislike what he was advocating for and the language he used, it is clearly protected. The police should be ashamed for issuing such a citation and it should be dismissed by the court.
Paulie P
Really….? In certain places that could be considered a hate crime. You do not get the right to verbally assault someone by using homophobic slurs.
Police should be ashamed? They now have it on record so if future incidents occur it is documented.
Bosch
Targeted harrassment is always punishable isn’t it? That’s hardly the same as expressing one’s beliefs.
Openminded
Mac, I’m thinking the profanity is what got him cited more than the gay bashing.
Fname Optional Lname
LOL this guy probably really believes he has no problem with gay people – or gay people who move in to “his neighborhood” as long as they don’t contradict him or put up a rainbow flag! This is his ‘murica don’t ya know!!!!!
cc423
Free speech has limitations.
Jacob
Targeted harassment and freedom of speech are two completely different things.
Cam
Except that’s a lie. People don’t seem to understand the way the 1st amendment works.
The 1st Amendment says you can’t be arrested by the government for simply speaking and saying you disagree with them. It doesn’t say you can freely harras or annoy your neighbors.
A city can absolutely fine somebody for using threatening language, intimidating, or being a noise nuisance. It’s no different than fining people for loud parties late at night or early in the morning.
Calin
FU with free speech BS!!
strap2900
Freedom of speech is one thing, but this went past freedom of speech, this was harassment plain and simple.
strap2900
This was not freedom of speech, it was harassment.
CurtisIsTheOne
CAM says everything that needs to be said on this subject.
Doug
I don’t believe the court would dismiss it. I wish they’d fined him five times the amount they did.
Openminded
Obviously, the Trump supporter thinks he owns the whole darn neighborhood if he thinks it’s o.k. for him to fly his flag but nobody else can show their colors. Sadly, too much of America is like this now. Very much like this site where you dare not claim you are a republican or even support some of Trump’s ideas.
He can claim he “doesn’t have a problem with gays”, but it appears he definitely has a problem with gay flags.
IAMSONICE
Typical entitlement at its highest. Anyone that thinks that his belligerent offensive language is protected by first amendment rights doesn’t understand constitution basics.
Rights given by the constitution should not infringe upon the rights of others.
Translated: you can’t cherry pick your rights when they work in your favor.
Tombear
The gay guy needs to buy a gun!
tjack47
What an ignorant man.