Police: 'Irate' man causes disturbance, damage at Trump store in Red Wing
Authorities in Red Wing are urging residents to turn down the temperature amid a recent string of politically charged incidents, including a public disturbance at a local Trump merchandise store.
On Sept. 24, the Red Wing Police Department received a complaint of a man "screaming, swearing, yelling at staff, acting irate, and damaging property" at the Trump Store, located on the 1300 block of Old West Main St.
According to a news release , the suspect also damaged a flag and "threw a piece of metal from the flag in the parking lot" before leaving in his vehicle.
Police have identified the perpetrator as a local 31-year-old man, who they say is also a suspect in "an additional theft of signs." He was cited for misdemeanor property damage and will be issued a "formal trespass order from the store."
The city has also gotten complaints about "political signs containing profanity on private property," police say, adding that however offensive, such language is "most likely protected speech under the First Amendment."
In a public statement, Red Wing Police Chief Nick Sather lamented the division that comes with every national election and warned that acting out on it can bring legal consequences:
In response, two Republican state lawmakers, Rep.Pam Altendorf and Sen. Steve Drazkowski, condemned political violence in a public statement that also referenced the two recent assassination attempts on former President Donald Trump, the Rochester Post-Bulletin notes.
Such conflict is by no means limited to Red Wing. Dozens of Harris-Walz signs were reported stolen in Preston , Fillmore County, prompting the local Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) to warn supporters as well as would-be thieves.
"Make sure your camera batteries are charged and report all theft/damage to your local police," the organization said in a Saturday Facebook post . "Do not be deterred from supporting the best ticket ever because of these criminals!"
The party noted that stealing signs is an act of trespassing as well as theft, and vows to pursue "full charges" as well as to replace "replace every sign stolen as much as we can."
"The fact that you need to steal signs to win an election says more about you and your candidate than you realize," the post concludes.
