Protests16 April, 20266 min read
Fairhope Judge Haymes Snedeker Acquits Renea Gamble in Anti-Trump Penis Costume Protest Case
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Renea Gamble, 62, wore a 7-foot inflatable penis costume at Fairhope's No Kings protest. Judge Haymes Snedeker acquitted Gamble of all remaining misdemeanor charges after a multi-hour trial.
Acquittal in Fairhope
A Fairhope Municipal Court judge acquitted Renea Gamble of charges tied to her arrest during an anti-Trump “No Kings” protest in Fairhope, Alabama, after a trial that lasted more than two hours.
“‘We have civil rights in Fairhope,’ Gamble told a cheering crowd outside a municipal building after the ruling Wednesday afternoon.”
The case centered on Gamble, a 62-year-old protester, who was arrested for wearing a giant inflatable penis costume and was found not guilty of misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, along with a municipal violation for disturbing the peace and giving a false name to law enforcement.
Judge Haymes Snedeker said he did not believe Fairhope Police Cpl. Andrew Babb was attempting to suppress Gamble’s free speech rights during their encounter, and he said there “may have been enough probable cause for Babb to arrest her.”
Snedeker also said he was not “99.9% certain” that Gamble should be convicted of crimes stemming from the actions that led to her arrest.
“There is a standard that needs to be met,” Snedeker said, and his ruling concluded an unusual court proceeding held in the same room where the Fairhope City Council typically meets.
Gamble walked out of the complex after the verdict, telling supporters, “As Alabamians, we dare to defend our rights,” and adding, “This fight is not over.”
Outside the courtroom, the acquittal drew a crowd and supporters lined the sidewalk in front of City Hall, with defense attorney David Gespass saying a countersuit accusing the Fairhope Police Department of violating Gamble’s First Amendment rights is likely.
How the Arrest Unfolded
The dispute began when Gamble attended a “No Kings” rally in Fairhope and arrived inside a large penis costume, toting a sign that read “no dick-tator,” according to Courthouse News. Fox 10 News described the arrest as occurring in October during a No Kings rally when police said she refused to remove a large, inflatable penis costume, and it said police body cam footage showed the encounter. Multiple outlets described the arresting officer as Andrew Babb, with Courthouse News stating that Babb complained the giant inflatable member was causing a public spectacle and potential traffic hazard in the family-friendly Gulf town.
Courthouse News said that when Gamble refused to “deflate” and remove the costume, officers took the 62-year-old to the ground and cuffed her, struggling to subdue and stuff the oversized erection into a squad car. During the arrest, when asked her name, Gamble responded with “Aunt Tifa,” a pun on “antifa,” and prosecutors later tacked on extra charges for that bit of wordplay and for disturbing the peace with her provocative protest attire.
Reason Magazine similarly said prosecutors added charges of disturbing the peace and giving a false name to law enforcement, explaining the false name charge stemmed from Gamble replying “Aunt Tifa.” AL | West Asian reported that Babb testified he viewed Gamble’s costume as an “obstruction,” while witnesses said the scene was “largely peaceful,” and Babb said, “It was a brushfire,” “We were trying to keep it from being a dumpster fire.”
Competing Narratives in Court
In court, the prosecution and defense presented sharply different accounts of what triggered the arrest and what Babb was trying to do. AL | West Asian reported that Babb testified he was using de-escalation techniques he was trained to employ and said he was concerned about safety and viewed Gamble’s costume as an “obstruction.” The same report said Babb told reporters police responded due to reports of water bottles being thrown at protesters, but witnesses called by Gespass testified the scene at the busy intersection of Greeno Road and Fairhope Avenue was largely peaceful.
“City Attorney Marcus McDowell argued to Judge Haymes Snedeker that ‘there is no constitutional right to wear a 7-foot penis costume on the side of the road.’”
AL | West Asian also quoted Babb saying, “It was a brushfire,” and “We were trying to keep it from being a dumpster fire,” while Gespass argued body camera footage revealed the true nature of the arrest. AL | West Asian described Gespass’s argument that Babb told Gamble her costume would not be tolerated in a town that “has values,” and it quoted Gespass saying, “That’s all he talked about when he was confronting her was, ‘I am not going to put up with this in my town,’” and “He said nothing about her causing any problems with traffic.”
Reason Magazine similarly said Babb’s body camera footage shows his tone was aggressive as soon as he arrived and that he threw her to the ground less than a minute after arriving even though she was walking away. Fox 10 News added that City Attorney Marcus McDowell argued, “there is no constitutional right to wear a 7-foot penis costume on the side of the road.”
Judge’s Reasoning and Limits
Judge Haymes Snedeker’s ruling hinged on the standard for conviction even while he acknowledged that there may have been probable cause to arrest.
AL | West Asian said Snedeker concluded he did not believe Babb was attempting to suppress Gamble’s free speech rights, and it reported that he also said there “may have been enough probable cause for Babb to arrest her.”
But Snedeker said he was not “99.9% certain” that Gamble should be convicted of crimes stemming from the actions that led to her arrest, and he said, “There is a standard that needs to be met.”
Courthouse News quoted Snedeker saying, “There was probable cause for arrest, but I can’t convict and sentence someone unless I’m sure,” and it described the acquittal as clearing Gamble of all remaining misdemeanor charges after three hours of testimony.
Fox 10 News similarly said Snedeker concluded the hearing by saying he believed the officer had probable cause to make the arrest, but that after hearing the evidence, he did not believe Gamble was guilty within a reasonable doubt.
In AL | West Asian, Gamble’s attorney David Gespass said a countersuit is likely and argued, “This is the only reasonable conclusion the judge could have drawn,” adding, “Whether or not there was probable cause, as the judge claimed there was, that’s another question for another time. I disagree with that as well.”
After the verdict, Gamble told the crowd, “Free speech wins,” and she said, “We have civil rights in Fairhope!” while also declaring, “This fight is not over.”
Aftermath and Wider Echoes
The acquittal did not end the dispute; it set up further legal action and continued public attention around the “No Kings” protest.
“Her attorney, David Gespass, said a countersuit accusing the Fairhope Police Department ofviolating Gamble’s First Amendment rightsis likely.”
AL | West Asian said Gamble’s attorney David Gespass argued a countersuit accusing the Fairhope Police Department of violating Gamble’s First Amendment rights is likely, and it quoted Gespass saying, “This is the only reasonable conclusion the judge could have drawn,” while also saying, “Whether or not there was probable cause, as the judge claimed there was, that’s another question for another time. I disagree with that as well.”
Reason Magazine said Gespass disagreed about probable cause and said they may sue the department for violating Gamble’s First Amendment rights, and it quoted Gamble proclaiming, “Free speech wins!” while addressing the crowd outside the courthouse.
Fox 10 News said Gespass told reporters his client’s civil rights were violated and they will be entertaining the possibility of going back to court on that issue.
AL | West Asian said the arrest drew national media attention, including coverage from comedian Stephen Colbert, and it described body and dash camera footage released in November by Gespass that circulated widely.
NOLA | Local Western said Stephen Colbert joked about Gamble’s arrest on his program last year, and it reported that Fairhope city attorney Marcus McDowell declined to comment on the case Thursday.
Courthouse News added that outside the courtroom Mary Kay Smith said, “The arrest was violent, abusive and uncalled for. It was not even civilized behavior,” while Shelly Welch said, “Sure it’s offensive, but it’s their right to do that.”