Just when you thought election season was behind us, two Penn State students were fined $362 each for destroying Donald Trump campaign signs on the University Park campus.
Trystn Murphy and Hanna DeMarte ripped apart “Trump Pence Make America Great Again” lawn signs earlier this month when the Penn State Bull Moose Party (We Are For Trump) built a wall on Old Main Lawn.
On Nov. 1, student Trump supporters erected a wall around the American flag on Old Main lawn. The wall, which was decorated by Trump-Pence signs, was quickly protested by members of the Students for Hillary group.
The afternoon of the protest a video from Penn State Women for Trump depicting Murphy ripping up Trump-Pence lawn signs went viral on social media and was picked up by several conservative and alt-right news sites and reports, including The Blaze and Milo Yiannopoulos.
“This week we both received notice in the mail that we’re being fined $362 each for criminal mischief,” said DeMarte. “Failure to respond to this charge in a timely manner will result in our arrest.”
The summary charges were filed on Nov. 21 by Penn State Police with District Judge Steven Lachman, according to court records.
DeMarte and Murphy have set up an online fundraising campaign requesting double their fined amounts from community members. Any amount over their combined fine of $724 will go to a donation to Planned Parenthood in the name of Dmitri Loutsik, the former Chairman of We Are for Trump Penn State.
When asked for a comment about the fundraiser in his name Loutsik simply said, “It’s a worthwhile cause and I appreciate their thoughtfulness!”
