A Michigan Grand Traverse County Board of Commissioners official flashed a rifle during a livestream public meeting on Wednesday after a local resident asked the group to convict the Proud Boys, according to multiple reports.
During the virtual meeting, East Bay Township resident Keli MacIntosh asked the board of directors to make “some sort of public statement” denouncing the far-right group the Proud Boys, who spoke before the council last year. because it’s a gun rights proposal.
“I mean, you could say we don’t have that [a] problem with Proud Boys in our area, but clearly there are issues with Proud Boys across the country causing problems, ” MacIntosh said as Commission Chairman Ron Clous stepped out of the screen, as seen in a video posted by The Washington Post .
MacIntosh continued, explaining that while she is not a gun owner, she “certainly appreciates that people want their gun rights protected.”
As she talks, Clous is shown stepping back into the frame with a rifle.
MacIntosh continues, saying that groups like the Proud Boys have been allowed “to do more with their weapons than to hunt.”
MacIntosh told the Post that Clous’s actions scared her.
“He is expected to represent the interests of the community,” she said. What is the message he is trying to convey? That if someone speaks out against us, we’ll just threaten them with a gun? ‘
Clous defended his actions against the Traverse City Record-Eagle.
“I just wanted to show the gun and show that I fully support the Second Amendment, but then I chose not to,” he said.
He went on to explain his interaction with the far-right group at the March meeting.
“All I know about them is when they came to talk to us. They were probably the most respected people getting up and talking, ”he said. “They were decent guys and they treated us with respect.”
Commission chairman Rob Hentschel, who can be seen laughing as Clous holds the rifle, told the Record-Eagle he saw no harm in Clous’s actions.
“I saw it across his chest and I thought it was ironic that he did,” said Hentschel. The person was talking about guns and he had one across his chest. I didn’t see him doing anything illegal or dangerous with it. He didn’t threaten or wave. He just held it. ‘
Board member Betsy Coffia shared her disapproval of the incident in a statement to The Hill, saying it was giving responsible gun owners a bad name.
“It is unacceptable for an elected official to respond to a voter exercising her First Amendment right by brandishing a weapon in a public meeting,” she said.
She criticized Hentschel’s response, saying, “It is unacceptable that the chairman not only giggles approvingly, but also defends the actions.”
Coffia said the most alarming part of the incident was the fact that “both men are defending the Proud Boys even though the FBI found them to be an extremist group with ties to white nationalism.”
Hentschel, Clous and the rest of the board members did not immediately respond to The Hill’s request for comment.
The incident comes after the deadly uprising at the Capitol on January 6 involving far-right activist groups.