By Casey Jarmes | The News-Review
SIGOURNEY – For months now, Sigourney resident Mathew Lentz has been standing on the corner of Highway 92 and Main Street, holding a variety of provocative signs. These signs usually criticize President Donald Trump and Sigourney’s Republican voters. Often, these signs have contained profanity, something that has angered many in this community.
On Jan. 21, the News-Review published a Letter to the Editor sent to us by George Snakenberg of Ollie titled “Our First Amendment Rights While Protecting the Innocence of Our Youth,” which admonished the use of curse words in Lentz’s signs. In this letter, Snakenberg wrote “It is my belief that our words are not merely words, but seeds that are being planted in the virgin soil of our children’s minds. These seeds will take root and grow into hatred. Most altercations will start out with a certain word.”
According to a criminal complaint, at around 3:40 p.m. on Dec. 17, Snakenberg “became upset with the language displayed on the victim’s sign and initiated a verbal altercation with the victim. During the argument, the defendant attempted to rip the sign out of the victim’s arms. While doing so, the defendant grabbed the victim’s left arm, causing the victim to overextend his arm. The defendant was unable to take the victim’s sign and continued to engage in a verbal altercation, disturbing the victim while he was peacefully protesting.”
Snakenberg was charged with Disorderly Conduct, a simple misdemeanor. He plead Not Guilty on March 9.
