The Short and Ridiculous Trial of a Protester Arrested in an Inflatable Penis Costume

The Intercept
by Liliana Segura
April 22, 2026
8 min read

Quick Insights

The Bottom Line

A protester arrested in an inflatable penis costume is on trial for misdemeanor charges.

AI Summary

Renea Gamble's trial for misdemeanor charges, including giving a false name to law enforcement, began in Fairhope, Alabama, on April 15, 2026. City attorney Marcus McDowell called Gamble’s husband, Larry Fletcher, as a surprise witness, attempting to suggest Gamble intentionally sought arrest during an October 2025 "No Kings" protest while wearing a 7-foot-tall inflatable penis costume. Magistrate Judge Haymes Snedeker presided over the municipal court proceedings, held at the Fairhope Civic Center. Fairhope Police Cpl. Andrew Babb testified that he arrested Gamble for public safety concerns, claiming she posed an obstruction and hazard, despite body camera footage showing him scolding her for the costume. Gamble's defense attorney, David Gespass, challenged Babb's testimony, highlighting discrepancies with the body camera footage.

Should this be getting more attention?

You Might Have Missed

Related stories from different sources and perspectives

A Protester Threw a Snowball. Federal Agents Responded With Tear Gas and Pepper Balls.
Civil Rights

A Protester Threw a Snowball. Federal Agents Responded With Tear Gas and Pepper Balls.

The post A Protester Threw a Snowball. Federal Agents Responded With Tear Gas and Pepper Balls. appeared first on ProPublica .

ProPublicaApr 17
U.S. Army sergeant still doesn't understand why ICE arrested his wife
Civil Rights

U.S. Army sergeant still doesn't understand why ICE arrested his wife

Sgt. First Class Jose Serrano, an active-duty U.S. Army sergeant who has served in the military for 27 years, says his wife was arrested by ICE during an appointment at an immigration office in El Paso. CBS News' Camilo Montoya-Galvez reports.

CBS NewsApr 20
El Salvador holds mass trial for 486 alleged members of notorious MS-13 gang
Civil Rights

El Salvador holds mass trial for 486 alleged members of notorious MS-13 gang

<p>Human rights groups have warned that the collective prosecutions violate due process and block defendants from accessing legal counsel</p><p>A Salvadoran court on Tuesday began a collective trial of 486 alleged gang members, in one of the biggest mass trials under president Nayib Bukele’s crackdown on gang violence through controversial emergency powers.</p><p>Prosecutors say the charges against alleged members of the Mara Salvatrucha gang, or MS-13, span more than 47,000 crimes committed between 2012 and 2022, including a weekend that was El Salvador’s bloodiest since its civil war.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/22/el-salvador-mass-trial-alleged-members-ms-13-gang">Continue reading...</a>

The Guardian World NewsApr 22
Judge halts local TV giant Nexstar's takeover of rival Tegna until trial
Corporate

Judge halts local TV giant Nexstar's takeover of rival Tegna until trial

U.S. Judge Trevor Nunley ruled that consumers could suffer irreparable harm if Nexstar integrated Tegna's stations into its own operations ahead of an antitrust trial.

NPRApr 18
Uber loses another US driver sex assault trial, ordered to pay $5,000 - Reuters
Corporate

Uber loses another US driver sex assault trial, ordered to pay $5,000 - Reuters

<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMitwFBVV95cUxPaTZhVnJTSk5uNlRmc0trOFhzdHBTamZGZ19PY1hyWldqVDkxMFFfVzdDUWpuendRcXlPLWw0MWhXdTBHR1BaMy1RakN4aEpsMUh3ZlVnMkpVZ2l0MVF3NmJlTlpxMWFseWluTks3b3BCM1lzemE0VXNPV0JsazNOUHYwNGNmTWFqQlhHYXUtRnoyajlVVEFLV0RaUEhlOWFwTkhzcWkzOHY5VmlOa2R5MTJ2TXBEVTQ?oc=5" target="_blank">Uber loses another US driver sex assault trial, ordered to pay $5,000</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<font color="#6f6f6f">Reuters</font>

ReutersApr 20
News Wrap: Senate approves short-term renewal of FISA surveillance program
National Security

News Wrap: Senate approves short-term renewal of FISA surveillance program

In our news wrap Friday, the Senate approved a short-term renewal of a controversial surveillance program used by U.S. spy agencies, millions across the Midwest are facing the risk of severe storms and French officials say an 85-year-old widow of an American military veteran has returned home after being held in U.S. immigration custody for more than two weeks.

PBS NewsHourApr 17
Read Next
Why was the Southern Poverty Law Center indicted on federal fraud charges?
Civil Rights

Why was the Southern Poverty Law Center indicted on federal fraud charges?

<p>Charges alleged the center paid informants to infiltrate extremist groups without disclosing payments to donors</p><p>The Southern Poverty Law Center was indicted on Tuesday on federal fraud charges, alleging it improperly paid informants to infiltrate extremist groups without disclosing the payments to donors, acting attorney general Todd Blanche said.</p><p>The center’s CEO Bryan Fair said the payments went to confidential informants in order to monitor threats of violence from the extremist groups – and that the information the center received was frequently shared with the FBI and other law enforcement agencies. The information gathered by the informants helped save lives, Fair said on Tuesday.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/21/splc-fraud-charges-explained">Continue reading...</a>

Continue reading

Did this story change how you see things?

Stories like this only matter when people see them. Help us get verified journalism in front of more eyes.

Share this story

Get the daily digest

Save for later

The Verity Ledger curates verified investigative journalism from trusted sources only.

See our sources