US: No hate crime charge for man caught on camera attacking ‘queers’
A man who was caught on camera attacking “queers” in Dallas Fort Worth airport is facing two minor misdemeanour charges.
A clip which surfaced online last month shows a man in a white t-shirt bellowing anti-gay slurs at a fellow passenger in the Texas airport.
He screams: “Queers is what I’m upset about. This faggot right here. Shove it up your a**, man, see how that feels, you might get tickled. F***ing queer.”
He then attempts to kick and punch the man he directed the slurs at – but a number of bystanders rush to intervene, tackling him to the ground almost immediately.
Today, 27-year-old Tennessee man McCleish Christmas Benham was charged with assault by contact and public intoxication, in Grapevine Municipal Court.
According to the Star-Telegram, no hate crime charge was brought against the man – who will escape serious punishment over the incident, as both charges are misdemeanours.
He cannot face jail for the charges, and the maximum fine is just $500 for each charge.
The incident came back to attention after eagle-eyed internet users spotted that one of the people who tackled the man to the floor looked a lot like Anchorman star Paul Rudd.
Despite amateur sleuths noting that the actor was travelling on the day of the incident, and was reported to be wearing similar clothing to his doppelgänger, his spokesperson denied his involvement in the incident.
Watch the attack below:
