Legal Concerns Arise Over Protest Arrest
An attorney representing a 62-year-old grandmother arrested for donning an inflatable phallus costume during a No Kings protest believes her constitutional rights have been infringed upon.
The incident took place on October 20, 2025, in Fairhope, Alabama. Body camera footage captured Renia Gamble trying to walk away from an officer before being forcefully taken to the ground.
Gamble’s legal team contends that her choice to wear the costume as a form of protest against the president is protected by the Constitution.
According to the police department, the officer requested that she remove her costume as it was deemed offensive in a public space, but she did not comply.
“I’m not going to engage in a debate with you,” Colonel Andrew Babb stated in the video. “If my kids showed up, how would I explain this to them?”
Holding an American flag and a sign with another phallic image, Gamble was told that her attire was inappropriate for the setting.
The officer reiterated that it was a family-friendly town, insisting, “We can’t have people dressed like this out here, you understand?”
Initially, she faced charges of misdemeanor disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. However, further charges were introduced after she identified herself as “Aunt Tifa,” raising suspicions about her providing a false name.
Additionally, she was accused of violating a city ordinance for causing a disturbance.
The body camera footage, released by Gamble’s lawyers, was featured in a WKRG-TV news report.
Interestingly, at a later protest, another woman appeared in a purple eggplant costume and referenced the pseudonym Gamble had used.
When queried about whether Gamble would continue protesting, her lawyer refrained from confirming or denying it. “Several people were wearing eggplant costumes,” attorney David Gespas remarked. “My main concern regarding the exercise of First Amendment rights arises when authorities encroach upon them. That’s why the National Lawyers Guild has established the Legal Observer Program.”
