In a distressing incident that highlights the ongoing struggle for LGBTQ+ rights and acceptance, a Christian couple from Virginia has been caught throwing dead rats into a gay couple’s restaurant, marking the culmination of years of homophobic harrassment. Here’s the full story.
The Incident
The shocking incident, captured on CCTV near The Front Porch restaurant in The Plains, Virginia, has left the local community deeply unsettled.
Their Ongoing Feud
The couple at the center of this disturbing event is Mike and Melissa Washer, who own ICS Financial located next to The Front Porch.
According to reports, the Washers have been embroiled in a feud with their neighbors, William Waybourn and Craig Spaulding, both aged 76, since at least 2019.
The disputes revolve around shared car parking spaces, early morning deliveries, bins, and zoning permits.
The Homophobic Insults
However, what sets this conflict apart is the presence of homophobic slurs and discriminatory behavior.
The establishment, known for flying a Pride flag on its patio since 2016 in remembrance of the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting, has been the target of bigotry and harassment from the Washers for years.
There Have Been Many Derogatory Comments
According to an employee of the restaurant, Mike Washer made derogatory remarks about the gay couple, saying, “I like you, but the f****ts you work for, I can’t stand it.”
The No Trespassing Order
The situation escalated further when the couple handed the Washers a no-trespassing order after Mike entered the restaurant multiple times without wearing a mask during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Strained Relationship
This incident further strained the relationship between the two couples and resulted in a series of retaliatory actions.
Relations between the neighbors quickly deteriorated as the Washers attempted to remove customers from their parking spots, issued their own no-trespass order, and even complained to the health department about the restaurant!
(The health department found no indication of wrongdoing.)
The CCTV Footage
The situation reached a boiling point in August of 2022 when CCTV footage captured Mike Washer flinging a dead rat onto the restaurant’s property and taking pictures of it.
This Was Staged?
The general manager of The Front Porch, Tiffany Foster, believed this act was staged to create the illusion of a vermin problem at the eatery, with the intention to its reputation.
They Were Just Returning the Rat
In response to the accusations, the Washers did not deny Mike’s actions, but claimed that the rat had initially been dumped near their back door by restaurant employees, and Mike was merely returning it.
He’s Trying to Play the Victim
The controversy only deepened as Mike Washer asserted that he believed he was being discriminated against for his conservative beliefs.
He argued that his wife and he were subjected to “special-use permits” that allowed the town council to accommodate whatever they wanted.
He Denied What He Said
However, he vehemently denied using homophobic slurs against the gay couple.
The Painful Memories
For Waybourn and Spaulding, the incident evoked painful memories of their long history of facing homophobic discrimination, dating back to the early days of their relationship in 1973.
The History of Homophobic Insults
Waybourn recounted the threats and harassment they endured and the Dallas police stationing squad cars outside their home for their protection.
Emotionally overwhelmed, Waybourn stated, “I haven’t been called a f****t in years,” underscoring the deep wounds inflicted by the recent incident.
This Was More
For Waybourn and Spaulding, the restaurant has become much more than just a business; it is a representation of their struggle for acceptance and equality.
Unfortunately, the incident with the dead rat has taken a toll on their emotional well-being, leading them to put the restaurant up for sale.
Social Media Users Expressed Their Thoughts
Several social media users shared their thoughts on the incident.
One Twitter user wrote, “The restaurant is attracting the rats. I guess they don’t find a problem with that? The health department has been notified and is ignoring the issue?”
They Are Just Evil
Another user commented, “They are not a Christian couple…they may call themselves that, but they are just evil.”
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The post This Conservative Religious Couple Was Caught on CCTV Flinging Rats Into a Gay Couple’s Restaurant first appeared on Career Step Up.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / yurakrasil. The people shown in the images are for illustrative purposes only, not the actual people featured in the story.
Source: PinkNews
