A 19-year-old woman in Utah was arrested after stomping on a "Back the Blue" sign in front of a police officer. The incident took place at a gas station in Panguitch while the officer was conducting a traffic stop. The officer witnessed the woman aggressively destroying the sign and throwing it in a trash can while smirking in an intimidating manner. When asked about the sign, the woman provided inconsistent stories initially before claiming she found it on the ground. The officer arrested her for destroying property and later discovered that her charge was escalated to a hate crime due to her actions being perceived as a threat towards law enforcement.
According to Utah Code, destruction of property intending to intimidate or terrorize another person can be upgraded from a class B misdemeanor to a class A misdemeanor. This could potentially result in a year of imprisonment or a fine of up to $2,500. The code defines "intimidate or terrorize" as causing the victim to fear for their physical safety or damaging their property.
The article highlights the hypocrisy in the way different political groups react to such incidents. It points out that if the woman had destroyed a Black Lives Matter (BLM) poster or an LGBTQ flag, those who support the left would likely demand serious punishment. The writer argues that the left should be held accountable to their own philosophy and not selectively advocate for free speech and protest rights based on political or social affiliation.
In summary, a woman was arrested in Utah for stomping on a "Back the Blue" sign and now faces charges that were escalated to a hate crime due to her perceived threatening behavior towards law enforcement. The article criticizes the perceived hypocrisy in the way different political groups respond to similar incidents and calls for consistent application of principles regarding free speech and protest rights.
