From Trussville Tribune staff reports
AUBURN — Auburn police released the identities of three people arrested outside of James E. Foy Hall on Tuesday, including one Trussville resident.
The arrest came as white supremacist Richard Spencer was set to give a speech at that location on Tuesday evening.
Benjamin Lee Hansen, 19, of Trussville, was one of the three people whose identities were released. Ryan Matthew King and Seth Miles Waldon were also arrested Tuesday night at 6:21 p.m. according to the arrest reports.
Photos and video showed Hansen with a cloth in his hand that had a padlock attached which he used to repeatedly strike another man.
“None of the individuals arrested were (Auburn University) students or from this area. I don’t have any info of their affiliation with either side.” Auburn Police Captain Lorenza Dorsey said.
Spencer’s speech was originally cancelled by Auburn on Friday, but a judge ruled the speech could not be cancelled. The issue was locally and nationally debated as to whether the cancellation was a suppression of free speech.
@ChrisYowTribune pic.twitter.com/nFqMt31HLI
— ??? ?? (@CamCam_2014) April 20, 2017
139 Comments
Kathy Sills
That’s a guy?
Kathy Sills
Whatever ….yall keep him
Rick Brown
Must have been a slow night in Trussville. And, more unmasking with exposure is needed.
Matt Coleman
I see why it says trussville person now .i wouldn’t know what to call it either geez what is it ? Lol
Scott White
That’s a guy? Benjamin or Benji?
Terri Allen Finlay
I thought that was a girl when I saw the video.
Jill Friday Prince
Mary Reid Prince
Kim Esary
Can we get a better pic of its hair
Pat Sullivan
Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Sure that’s a person? Let’s not offend.
Wallace Wahd
This is a boy ?
Amy Perry Long
He must be a transgender. The makeup probably made people think he was a girl! Guys don’t wear makeup! Just sayin.
Mickey Greer
Next stop….Target!!!!!
Kathy Sills
It is what it is ..no pun intended
Phillip Acton
Sooooo, he was wearing a fanny pack and using a scarf as a weapon….
Kristi Lambert
Those bangs, tho..
Becky Kirbow
Very hateful comments on here about a human being. The story isn’t about what this person looks like. It must feel good for some of y’all to sit back and laugh and judge at other people’s expense and hide behind social media to do so. What we call you in school is a BULLY.
Cindy McCarty Hudson
I thought it was a girl too until I saw his name.
Becky Kirbow
No problem with that. Just no need for people to make hateful comments.
Savannah Best
Baylee Johnson
Anna Kathryn Greer
I agree with Becky. This is a person, with a family. Parents, brothers, sisters. If you want to comment on the act, fine, but don’t make it personal. Don’t be cruel.
Cameron Ferguson
Cameron Ferguson
“but I just want to protest and stuff”
Drew McCullough
Baylee Johnson
Oh my gosh.
Baylee Johnson
Ben Friedlander
Savannah Best
I know!!! I cannot believe that is benji.
Alexis Little
Such hateful people with nothing going on I’m their lives so they resort to being high school bullies.
Baylee Johnson
I saw him last year at school. All the comments about him are pissing me off. What did he do? Just protest?
Savannah Best
Aubrey Nicole Best remember him?
Savannah Best
Me too! Judgmental, hateful people. Yeah he protested and attacked the guy.
Savannah Best
It has the video on there
Baylee Johnson
I’ll watch the video!
Savannah Best
He is a person with feelings, yeah. Keep your hateful comments to yourself.
Baylee Johnson
What part of the video?
Savannah Best
It’s the video at the bottom. Not the first one of the speech
Ted Swartz
Thats supposed to be a dude?
Baylee Johnson
Just saw it. He didn’t do much. It’s sad.
Cameron Ferguson
Kinda got the business in the front party in the back going on
Khalia Kennedy
Good to know I live in a world where white supremacy is acceptable but not following gender norms isn’t.
Baylee Johnson
All the hateful comments towards his looks are unnecessary.
Maria Lucrecia Greguol
let’s not forget that this person is someone’s relative.
Linda Taylor
Don’t pretend any of this is acceptable!!
Jennifer Leathers George
I agree Becky Kirbow… what’s so sad though is these kids are sooo uneducated about things
Stephanie Amos
Sad!
Pat Sullivan
I’m just ahead of the curve in terms of self identification. Cool it lady.
Blake Hunter
She looks hideous.
Steven Allen
Don’t let all these hateful comments distract you from how awesome his fanny pack is.
Erick Gilkey
Who, your mom?
Scott Clements
If you don’t want people commenting on how he looks maybe he should try not get arrested and have his pic posted all over fb cause after that all bets are off.
Chad Robertson
Whatva loser
Blake Hunter
Dang, super harsh man(?). You should take that comedy on the road! Very funny and totally original, I love it!
Lisa Roper Wright
Me too!
Barry Vickery
Thought that was a chic
Cindy Wood
Gee I wonder where all the kids in school bullying get it from……..
Mike Clark
The article said he was swinging a cloth with a padlock attached and hitting people with it. Did he? That doesn’t sound like “He didn’t do much”.
Gerald Hicks
This “person” should be charged with assault with a deadly weapon. Punk.
Mickey Greer
Would you want to be hit with a padlock???
Jerry Rambin
Why did the headline say “person”? Has even small town USA papers gone completely PC liberal?
Aubrey Nicole Best
TF?! That’s not the benji I knew!
Gail Smith Wright
I am feeling bad for his parents. This has to be very hurtful for them.
Jerry Rambin
White supremacy is NOT acceptable, but free speech IS.
Baylee Johnson
I’ve known him since I was young and he’s a good guy. Just not in with a good crowd and I will stand up for him. He made a bad decision. Obviously no one would want to be hit with a padlock unless they had sadistic tendencies so that’s really an illogical question to be asking. And compared to the other guy, it doesn’t look like he did much. I don’t actually sit down and dissect complete video’s and articles because I have a job and a life. All I said is it was sad. Which it is. Now I’m gonna go back to my life and my job.
Lonnie LaShum
Good, I guess his parents failed to teach him right from wrong. I wonder just how they feel about his protesting?
Joel Kimbrough
This will get thrown out court in a heartbeat..it is not against the law to assault Auburn fans…………..o com’ on folks have a since of humor!
Matthew Norman
Everyone be careful so as not to hurt anyone’s feelings. Anyone stop to wonder why the kid has views like they do? They’ve been coddled their whole life and now people take a sad situation and make jokes about them and people are worried about others sensibilities. That is the biggest joke of all. Little Billy that always got the free pass and never learned about the hardships in life or cruel they can sometimes be is usually the little a hole that winds up shooting up a school. The kid is a prime example of what’s wrong with today’s youth. Don’t want to be the butt of a joke? Then don’t make an ass of yourself.
Hillary Miranda
I mean what’s up with the fanny pack?!?! lol 😂
Phillip Alford
Looks like he’d hold one in his mouth, for sure.
Brad Brewer
Till the swelling went down!
Scott Key
He’s a pretty man
CeeJae Eckiwaudah
Obviously, this kid has many issues.
Hud Harris
The snowflake sure threw a mean, but limp left handed punch.
Mick Phillips
To Funny
Joey Blalock
If he wasn’t a student and went down there then he was looking for trouble! The best thing any of us could have done was to stay away! The idiot giving the speech was only seeking attention! GOD is and will be his judge!
Stormy Walker
He looks like a damn girl!
Stormy Walker
He is a freak!
Beth Allen Smith
Rachel Peterson
Kenny Aldridge
You know why it says trussville person. Because no one knows what the hell that is!
Alan Irvin
Well she’s a guy.
David Passmore
That “good guy” was beating the crap out of someone until the police stopped him.
Next time you’re in target pick up padlock and think about getting hit with it when it is attached to something that can multiply the force and speed of the impact. With a few good hits, it could kill.
Raven Davenport
Charlie Turner
Joey Cobb
Mike Mccaleb it was Alabama lol
Thomas Bagby
Looked like it had Itty Bitty Boobies in the video. Transgender?
Tracy Hallmark Todd
Keep hateful comments to yourself? Did you see the video that showed this whatever it is, slinging a cloth with a padlock in it at people?
Tracy Hallmark Todd
Speaking of bullies – it was assaulting people with a sling with a padlock in it! Fair game!
Matt Phillips
You assumed this person’s gender you asshole
Mike Mccaleb
Even worse!! But I live in Clay so HA!
Pat Sullivan
I would say this person is was intending to harm people.
Khalia Kennedy
Brandenburg v. Ohio. SCOTUS ruled that free speech has exceptions. It is also important to know that this decision was made after a Klan member made a speech at a Klan rally that promoted white supremacy and advocated for violence.
Kayti Quick
Love how everyone comments on someone’s sexuality, but the white supremist giving a speech at a local university is free game. That’s Lily white Trussville for you. Just saying. All of you look ridiculous. Even if what he was doing wasn’t necessary, none of these comments have any relevance to anything going on here.
Kayti Quick
Remember, violence is only okay if it favors their side of the argument. The rest of us are snowflakes. The fact everyone here made it fit to comment on his sexuality before asking why a white supremacist is speaking at a University I’m sure many people here have children with says all you need to know about hillbilly, Lily white Trussville. I don’t know what happened, I’m not saying I condone what this person did, but some of these comments were sickening and downright unnecessary. People hide behind their “free speech” and then their kids get bullied or become bullies and they can’t figure out where it starts.
Becky Kirbow
🙄
Faith Brewster Summers
Is that a boy or girl?
Shea Wardrup Pilkington
HOW EMBARRASSING
Michelle Quick
I got it, State Farm commercial lol
Kelly Gorman
Brent Finley
Gretchen Vann
Another one that doesnt know which bathroom to use. You will be a girl in prison.
Brent Finley
Jenner
Eryn Ray
Does it really matter
Eryn Ray
Mileia Ray is that Benji??
Faith Brewster Summers
Well I just would like to call him or she
Josie Smith
I thought he was a girl
Mileia Ray
Yes
Mileia Ray
How about you just don’t refer anything and mind your own business.
Mileia Ray
You have no idea about his home life or anything? How could you assume so much and be so naive.
Catherine McCown
Brooke Carr Andy Binion Ashley McCown Sprague please just read what the wonderful “adults” in this wonderful town have to say. #bigots
Catherine McCown
Tammy McCown where ya atttt
Andy Binion
LOL
Keith Lavier
Thats a Guy?
Karson Moore
Christy Chambers Kelsey Falkner comments
Kelsey Falkner
I have a problem that people are talking about someone’s gender and not what was happening but whatever….
Christy Chambers
👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Christy Chambers
ROLLING MY DAMN EYES AT 98% OF THE PEOPLE ON THIS THREAD. Those so claimed “adults” who should be tending to their families & not worrying about how someone looks or dresses….
Kelsey Falkner
Everyone I’ve looked at is also posting pictures about Jesus loving everyone on their page…. but where’s the compassion and love from them?? I’ll wait…
Christy Chambers
Kelsey Falkner me waiting
Christy Chambers
Can you not focus on the bigger issue than looks? Ya know, like what the arrest was actually for? I’m prettttty sure it wasn’t looks….
Christy Chambers
Or we could worry about the actual arrest and not the hair. Just a little food for thought.
Faith Brewster Summers
Excuse ME I AM NOT THE ONE WHO PUT OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA DUH!!!!
Andrew Smith
Why y’all even post stuff like this? She got n trouble big deal but don’t have to let the whole world know especially for something this stupid smh
Destini Goodwin
It’s pathetic how you guys can’t see the bigger picture here. All you see is an opportunity to make fun of someone… Feeling a little low in life? He maybe an idiot.. but if he was your child you wouldn’t want all this shit being said? His life choices aren’t effecting you. The poor boy deleted his facebook because grown Ass adults can’t seem to keep their mouth shut. Grow up. See the bigger picture or move the fuck on.
Destini Goodwin
The Trussville Tribune it’s pretty pathetic that you guys are even allowing all this. Freedom of speech? Maybe. Yet you guys are keeping this post up letting grown members of your own town attack and bully a child. All of you should be ashamed of yourself. If this kid hurts him self, it’s on y’all.
David Garrard
And you’re a narrow minded bigot
David Garrard
Exactly
Gretchen Vann
Must be your bitch.
Beverly Elders Cross
Ansley Cross
Chuck Biddinger
I thought he was a girl. My bad.
Cecil Sharps
a 19 year old assaulting people with a lethal weapon is many things. A child it is not. or did you miss the bit about wrapping a padlock in a scarf and swinging it at people?
Destini Goodwin
I never said his actions were great. He’s was acting like an idiot. But that doesn’t mean society needs to go this far either.
Laura W Garner
I wonder if he dressed up like a woman so he wouldn’t be attacked. He was hitting with a padlock. What a coward piece of crap. Or he is a Target tranny, who knows. Just another piece of crap!
Laura W Garner
Freak!!!!!
Laura W Garner
Destini Goodwin get a clue.
Laura W Garner
He/she is not a child. So you condone violence, why? Because you are ignorant?
Laura W Garner
She? Really, he was hitting people with a padlock. So you promote violence? How ignorant!
Laura W Garner
Hmmm, yeah I’m all for people being beat with a padlock…? How ignorant
Christy Chambers
Who even are u
Destini Goodwin
I’m glad you can read😂👍
Kelsey Falkner
Not once did any of us say that beating someone with a padlock was okay??? What we have a problem with is that no one talked about the facts of what happened and almost everyone decided to ONLY speak about the persons gender.
Unless you read something we wrote that said we agree with being hit with a padlock than I really don’t why you decided to call us ignorant, let alone comment at all…
Karson Moore
“I have a problem that people are talking about someone’s gender and not what was happening but whatever….” sounds A LOT like “I’m for people beating someone with a padlock” to me too!! How dare you Kelsey Falkner
Christy Chambers
GOD KELSEY
Christy Chambers
You’re right…. I’m ignorant… because I can separate what someone looks like vs. what someone did to be arrested. But I’m the ignorant here.