I’m not sure bigots’ ancestors would be happy at the hill their progeny have chosen to die on, if they could see them being marched out in handcuffs past a Starbucks, a popcorn machine and a Coca-Cola display. But that’s what happened when a man decided to use his day to protest Target’s new trans-friendly bathroom policy and got arrested for his troubles.
Police arrested 39-year-old Michael Merichko after he allegedly caused a disturbance inside his local Target in Bradley, Illinois. Cops swarmed the scene, as the incident was originally called in as an “active shooter” situation. But they merely found Merichko protesting Target’s stance on trans people being able to use the bathroom that aligns with their gender identity.
“Merichko’s actions provoked a breach of the peace causing panic among store employees and customers,” Bradley police said in a press release, adding that there’s “no reason to believe he threatened anyone.”
Merichko was taken into custody and charged with disorderly conduct.
Target’s decision has encouraged more than its fair share of backlash. A small Alabama town decided to make using a bathroom that doesn’t coincide with a person’s biological sex at birth illegal, and a Florida attorney bragged about packing heat in the bathroom to protect herself from trans people.
(Via The Chicago Tribune)