A Michigan County Commissioner Council officer Grand Traverse showed a rifle during a public meeting broadcast live on Wednesday after a local resident asked the group to convict the Proud Boys, according to several reports.
During the virtual meeting, East Bay Township resident Keli MacIntosh asked the commissioners council to make “some kind of public statement” denouncing the far right group, the Proud Boys, who spoke before the council last year for considering an arms rights proposal.
“I mean, you can say that we don’t have [a] problem with Proud Boys in our area, but obviously there are problems with Proud Boys across the country causing problems, “said MacIntosh as committee chairman Ron Clous left the screen, as seen in a video posted by The Washington Post .
MacIntosh continued, explaining that although she does not own a gun, she can “definitely appreciate people who want to have their gun rights protected.”
As she speaks, Clous is shown retreating to the board holding a rifle.
MacIntosh continues, saying that groups like the Proud Boys have been allowed “to do more with their weapons than to go hunting.”
MacIntosh told the Post that Clous’s actions scared her.
“He should look out for the best interests of the community,” she said. “What is the message he is trying to convey? That if someone speaks against us, we will just threaten him with a gun?”
Clous defended his actions for the Traverse City Record-Eagle.
“I was just going to show the rifle and show that I fully support the Second Amendment, but I chose not to,” he said.
He continued, explaining his interaction with the far-right group at the March meeting.
“The only thing I know about them is when they came and talked to us. They were probably the most respected people who got up and talked,” he said. “They were decent guys and treated us with respect.”
Commission chairman Rob Hentschel, who can be seen laughing while Clous holds the rifle, told Record-Eagle that he saw no damage to Clous’s actions.
“I saw it on his chest and I found it ironic that he did that,” said Hentschel. “The person was talking about guns and had one on his chest. I didn’t see him do anything illegal or dangerous to him. He wasn’t threatening or brandishing. He was just holding it.”
Council member Betsy Coffia shared her disapproval of the incident in a statement to The Hill, saying it gave responsible gun owners a bad reputation.
“It is unacceptable for an elected official to respond to a constituent that exercises its right to the First Amendment by brandishing a weapon at a public meeting,” she said.
She continued to criticize Hentschel’s reaction, saying: “It is unacceptable that the president has not only giggled in approval, but is also defending the actions.”
Coffia said the most alarming part of the incident was the fact that “the two men defend the Proud Boys, despite the fact that the FBI considers them 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 January 6 deadly riot at the United States Capitol, in which far-right activist groups were involved.