Ticketed for honking to support anti-Trump rallies, drivers call foul

Sheriff says drivers laying on horns; protesters say it’s meant to silence dissent. Plus, county commissioners freeze new positions in wake of SB1. McCutcheon named robotics world champs.

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TICKETED FOR HONKING TO SUPPORT ANTI-TRUMP RALLIES, DRIVERS CALL FOUL

Demonstrators said they were prepared to fight in court after they were ticketed Saturday for sounding their horns while driving past the Tippecanoe County Courthouse to show support for people rallying to protest President Donald Trump’s second term.

Anne Buja, a Lafayette resident, said she was leaving a rally of more than 100 people assembled outside the courthouse Saturday afternoon when a Tippecanoe County deputy pulled her over in downtown Lafayette.

“When I left, I honked my horn in support of the remaining protesters,” Buja said. “The young man was very polite, almost apologetic. I'm a 68-year-old woman driving an Acura, but he still claimed they had to give out the tickets. … I think this is how they plan on silencing us, if possible.”

(Photo: Dave Bangert)

Tippecanoe County Sheriff Bob Goldsmith acknowledged that deputies were looking for those sorts of violations as demonstrations continue along Columbia Street outside the courthouse. But Goldsmith, a Democrat, said it was a matter of safety, aimed at drivers laying on the horn rather than paying attention to downtown traffic. Goldsmith said the ticketing started late in an April 5 “Hands Off” rally and continued with Saturday’s demonstration, after several near-miss crashes.

“What we’re getting are people circling the block so they can come around two and three times and lay on the horn,” Goldsmith said.