A Michigan auto shop owner sparked outrage for his Halloween decoration of a President Donald Trump scarecrow holding Barack Obama’s severed head by a noose.
The display outside Quality Coatings in Fowlerville also depicts Trump standing on Hillary Clinton’s head.
Residents called ‘racist’, ‘vulgar’ and ‘anti-American’ on social media this weekend after a picture was posted on Facebook.
‘I am disgusted this is in my hometown. Way to display your ignorance. Democrat or Republican this is just wrong,’ Kathy DeTroyer wrote online about what she saw.
But the shop’s owner, Dave Huff, has since removed Obama mask and has instead draped the display with yellow tape saying ‘PC-POLICE’.
An auto shop worker in Fowlerville, Michigan sparked outrage for his Halloween display showing a Donald Trump scarecrow holding Barak Obama’s severed head on a noose
People said it looked like a noose but Quality Coatings’ owner Dave Huff said it represents a spine and the whole thing depicts a move from the game Mortal Kombat
The display also appeared to show Trump with his foot on Hillary Clinton’s head
Huff responded to the criticism by removing the Obama and Clinton masks and replaced them with a piece of yellow tape reading ‘PC POLICE’
Behind the scarecrow is an American flag, plus a knife and red paint to signify blood made it appear as if Trump had been stabbed.
The Trump scarecrow also appeared to be standing on Hillary Clinton’s head.
‘I’ll never support them. Here’s what they thought would be funny for Halloween…racists! They demonstrated complete lack of empathy when people complained. They owe their town a public apology. Shame on them,’ Jason Heinrich commented.
Mary Joslin added: ‘Racist and violent display. Vote with your $. Don’t go here!’
‘Lacks judgement, lacks respect. Lacks human decency, Haley Sewell posted. ‘This is gross and should have never been displayed.’
But on Friday, business owner Dave Huff was forced to change the display after he was made aware of the backlash.
Residents called it ‘racist’, ‘vulgar’ and ‘anti-American’ on the shop’s social media page
But the owner said ‘no race ever went into this thing’ and called it a Halloween decoration gone too far
‘It was a Halloween decoration that I guess went too far,’ Huff told the Detroit Free Press on Sunday.
He added that ‘no race ever went into this thing’ and claims the rope was supposed to represent a spine.
Huff insisted he was simply trying to depict a move from the game Mortal Combat with the display and that he is not racist.
He also noted that he has never voted and is neither Republican nor Democrat.
Fowlerville is currently holding a scarecrow competition but Huff’s business is not registered to take part, according to Detroit Free Press.
Many commenters assumed it was a Republican making a statement about Democrats
While many showed outrage on Facebook, the display had been on show for three weeks before it was a deemed a disgrace and plenty of others showed support for the business.
‘In lieu of the current news, they’ve DEFINITELY earned my business! Well done! #MAGA2020 ,’ was among some of the supportive posts.
Huff has refused to address the comments publicly via the business’ page.
His refusal to apologize sparked more of a backlash in the community.
‘What a genuinely awful Halloween display this company put up. Racist, Mean-spirited, Clueless, Stupid,’ Jay Pe posted online. ‘And only a complaint from the owner about ‘PC police,’ instead of an apology when reasonably offended people made it an issue.’
In 2017, comedian Kathy Griffin lost her New Year’s Eve TV hosting job and cancelled stand-up tour dates as she was blacklisted in the industry for a Halloween picture that portrayed her holding Trump’s severed head.
She then became the subject of a federal investigation but she has since managed to partially restore her career.
But Huff noted that he has never voted and is neither Republican nor Democrat
In 2017, comedian Kathy Griffin’s career was ruined and she became the subject of a federal investigation for her Halloween image of Trump’s severed head