this post was submitted on 03 Apr 2026

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711

Grandmother Faces Trial in Alabama for Wearing Penis Costume to No Kings Protest (theintercept.com)

submitted 14 hours ago by AcidiclyBasicGlitch@sh.itjust.works to c/news@lemmy.world

134 comments fedilink hide all child comments

“I’m serious as a heart attack,” he tells Gamble when the audio begins to play on the 14-minute body camera video. “I’m not gonna sit here and argue with you.”

He demands to know how she could possibly justify such an obscene display: “I would like to hear how you would explain to my children what you’re supposed to be.”

Talking to a colleague over his two-way radio after the encounter, Babb described what happened. Gamble was dressed “like a freakin’ weiner,” he says on the tape, so he ordered her to remove the costume. She refused, invoking her First Amendment rights.

“Am I being detained?” Gamble repeatedly asks Babb, who ignores the question and continues to scold her. “If I’m not being detained, I’m gonna go ahead and leave.”

When she turns to walk away, Babb steps forward and grabs her costume from behind, throwing her on her back. Angry protesters shout at Babb as he forces her to turn over. Two more cops help him pin Gamble on the grass and handcuff her.

“By the time I got there, the cops were stuffing an inflatable penis in the back of their car,” Rae said.

It was, on one hand, hilarious — a slapstick comedy bit brought to life. In the body camera footage, Babb tries and fails to fit Gamble into his own backseat, then hands her off to another officer, who escorts her to a different vehicle. Police wrestle with the oversized costume, ultimately failing to fit the unwieldy polyester penis into the car.

It was also disturbing. Gamble screams in pain in the video as the cops try to push her into the backseat, the handcuffs digging into her wrists. Babb asks where the zipper is and, as he peels off the penis suit, asks Gamble for her name.

She replies, “Aunt Tifa.”

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[–] frustrated_phagocytosis@fedia.io 29 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

But poor people end up spending days or weeks behind bars after being accused of assaulting officers and it's wrong

[–] PhoenixDog@lemmy.world 8 points 10 hours ago* (last edited 10 hours ago) (1 children)

Oh I absolutely agree. If we're talking about minor things like this they should be booked and released. Unless they are a direct threat to the public they should not be held for more than the time it takes to get their identification, alert them of the charges, and release them.

The trial and convictions should never even start until the body cam is released. That should be released before the first pre-trial date is even scheduled.

Basically, if I am arrested and charged for disorderly, I won't even be scheduled for a pre-trial court date until prosecution has full unedited body cam footage of my arrest. If they cannot be produced in the time it takes for my pre-trial date with a judge, charges are automatically dismissed without prejudice.

[–] nomy@lemmy.zip 5 points 8 hours ago* (last edited 8 hours ago) (1 children)

If we’re talking about minor things like this they should be booked and released.

Disagree, this person should've been given a high five and bought a drink.

[–] PhoenixDog@lemmy.world 3 points 8 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago)

Again, 100% agree. That cop should have been rushed by the 15-25 protesters around her and made to actually fear for his fucking life. He apparently feels so safe and confident that he can assault a grandmother in a dick costume, knowing that him completely by himself won't see any harm come to him.

He can harm others knowing the two dozen people around him won't harm him.

Alas... Everyone stood by and let her get arrested. And because of that she shouldn't see a court until the completely unredacted body cam footage is publicly available.