Trump-loving political candidate admits pulling down church’s ‘sodomite’ rainbow flag
Daniel Charles Svoboda, a candidate for the Washington House of Representatives
A political candidate in Washington state pulled down a church’s rainbow flag and branded it the “sodomite flag.”
Daniel Charles Svoboda, a candidate for the Washington House of Representatives on behalf of the fringe “Trump Republican Party” – not to be confused with the Republican Party – could face charges over his actions.
Trump-loving political candidate hits out at church over ‘sodomite flag’
According to the Port Townsend Leader, Svoboda had approached the LGBT-inclusive Seabold United Methodist Church on Bainbridge Island on July 20 and pulled down its rainbow flag.
Svoboda, who was wearing a Trump t-shirt during the incident, reportedly told onlookers: “If it gets put back up, I will take it down.”
Police were called to the church after reports of an enraged Svoboda, who was later identified as the perpetrator. He could face charges of harassment and malicious mischief over the incident.
Daniel Charles Svoboda, a candidate for the Washington House of Representatives, admitted tearing down the flag
In an email to the local newspaper, Svoboda admitted pulling down the flag, writing: “The reason I took the flag down is because it sends the wrong message to the very world that the church is supposed to be saving.
“The mission of the church/body of Christ is to be a beacon of light unto a lost, dark and hurting world and to be a place of salvation from one’s own sins. The church has lost her way and fails to communicate this message when it flies a sodomite flag.”
Svoboda has previous arrests for harassment, intimidation, disorderly conduct, forgery, assault, theft, and driving violations, police say.
He has been accused of harassing the LGBT+ community on a number of occasions, and was arrested in Oregon in 2015 after allegedly scaling the roof of a gay bar to pull down a rainbow flag. The Trump fanatic has also been accused of harassing patrons at Portland gay bar Scandals on at least two occasions.
Church: ‘We’re just practising what we believe’
The church’s pastor Rev Cindy Roberts revealed that the rainbow flag has been stolen in the past, and the newest one was put up after the community rallied to raise donations.
She said: “Clearly he has a history and we happened to be one of his historical victims, for lack of a better term. Somebody needs to get him headed toward reconciliation.”
Of the decision to fly the flag, she made clear: “That is something the church itself has decided to promote within the denomination and as a justice issue. We wanted to do something to let the greater community know that that was a justice issue for us.”
“We’re just practising what we believe is an important mission in the church.”
We’re sure anti-LGBT evangelicals will be condemning the Trump fanatic’s brazen attack on religious freedom any day now.
Amid his antics, Svoboda attracted just 6,712 votes in the August 4 first-round election, behind Republican Sue Ford on 12,555 and incumbent Democrat Mike Chapman on 26,119. Only the top two candidates will appear on the ballot for the November 3 general election.
