The unexpected election of Donald Trump continues to inflame passions. One not-so-figurative example: Two women from Baltimore were charged with burning a Trump campaign sign in Somerset County.
According to the Office of the State Marshal, 19-year-olds D’Asia Perry of Baltimore and Joy Shuford of Owings Mills burned a Trump sign in the Eastern Shore town of Princess Anne. Owned by a local sporting goods store owner, the sign was in a shopping center and the pair set it on fire “for political differences.” No one was injured, but the fire did spread to some nearby vegetation before it was put out.
The damage was $800, but the nature of the charges drew the most scrutiny. Initially, the incident was deemed a hate crime, leading to national headlines and a consideration from Reason Magazine about whether Trump supporters are a “protected class.”
The articles may die down, as the hate crime charges were dropped on Thursday, the Baltimore Sun reported. However, authorities are pushing forward with charges including malicious burning and destruction of property.
