A Green Party candidate for Congress in Wisconsin was arrested after police say he cursed at an Israeli father, who had his young son in the car, at a Mequon gas station on Thursday, October 8.
Story Highlights
- Matthew Arndt, 54, of Mequon, is the Green Party nominee for Wisconsin’s 6th Congressional District, the seat now held by Republican Rep. Glenn Grothman.
- Police say a road rage run-in ended in a gas station lot, where Arndt used profane language and made antisemitic statements.
- The father says it started over his anti-Hamas bumper sticker. Hamas is the armed group behind the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
- Arndt was arrested for disorderly conduct with a hate-crime enhancer. No charges have been filed, and county prosecutors will decide.
- Arndt says he “messed up” and that his words were aimed at Israel, not Jewish people, but “my stance on Israel stays.”
What Police Say Happened
Mequon police were called around 8:50 a.m. to the Mobil gas station at Mequon and Wauwatosa roads for a report of road rage and disorderly conduct. Police say Arndt and a 40-year-old Mequon man had a road rage run-in on Mequon Road that included obscene gestures and dangerous driving. Both drivers then pulled into the gas station lot. Police say Arndt used profane language there and made antisemitic statements.
Police arrested Arndt for disorderly conduct, a charge for loud or threatening behavior that disturbs the peace, with a hate-crime enhancer. In Wisconsin, a hate-crime enhancer is an add-on that can raise the possible penalty if prosecutors show a person was targeted because of religion, race, national origin or ancestry. Police say the dangerous driving itself was not caught on video.
The Father’s Account and the Video
The other driver is from Israel and asked not to be named. He says he was driving his son to school when Arndt tailgated him, pulled up alongside him and began yelling about the bumper sticker on his car. The sticker reads “F*** Hamas,” with an Israeli flag standing in for two of the letters. He says the sticker targets Hamas, not Palestinians.
He started recording and followed Arndt into the gas station lot, where the shouting went on. In the video, Arndt says, “I’m running for Congress here in the 6th District, and f*** Israel. Go f*** yourself.” A child can be heard in the father’s car earlier in the footage. “It was hate towards Israel, towards Jews,” the father said.
Arndt Answers Back
Arndt says his words were aimed at the country of Israel, not at Jewish people. “I am not anti-anyone. I am anti-Israel. I am anti-Zionists,” he said. Zionism is the movement that backs a Jewish homeland in Israel. He apologized, said he “messed up” and called his delivery “not my finest moment.” He added, “I could have used a better choice of words. But my stance on Israel stays.”
Arndt says the video leaves out context and that he was the one who was followed, harassed and provoked. He says he can apologize for losing his composure, but not for his views on U.S. ties with Israel. He declined to say what happened on the road.
Party, Rivals and the Charging Decision
The Wisconsin Green Party said it stands for Palestinian human rights, but that shouting obscenities in a parking lot “doesn’t advance that cause.” The party said it will wait for the police report before saying more. A party official, speaking off camera, said the party still supports him. Arndt says his actions do not represent the party. He won the Green Party primary with 62 votes.
Grothman, the Republican congressman who holds the 6th District seat, called Arndt “an embarrassment to the entire state of Wisconsin.” Brad Smith, the Democratic nominee, said the language was unacceptable, especially in front of a child. The Milwaukee Jewish Federation, a local Jewish community group, condemned the “hateful and intimidating behavior” in the video.
No charges have been filed. Police will send their reports to the Ozaukee County District Attorney’s Office, the county prosecutor that decides whether to bring charges. No charges or court dates had been announced as of Friday, October 9. Arndt is accused, not convicted. The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Sources:
nypost.com, jsonline.com, dailywire.com, tmj4.com, us.headtopics.com, cbs58.com, wtmj.com
