@dhfir
A sheriffs deputy was wrapping up a rou-
tine traffic stop at a Utah gas station last
week when he saw a teen take a “back the
blue” sign — which urged support for po-
lice officers — and stomp on it after her
friend was pulled over.

The teen, identified in court documents as
19-year-old Lauren Gibson, then allegedly
crumpled it up in a “destructive manner”
and threw it in a trash can, Garfield County
Sheriffs Deputy Cree Carter wrote in an af-
fidavit. The officer, who accused Gibson of
allegedly “smirking” at him “in an intimi-
dating manner,” arrested her.

Now, in addition to disorderly conduct,
Gibson has been charged with “criminal
mischief” with a hate-crime enhancement.
The latter crime, county prosecutors allege,
was committed with “the intent to intimi-
date or terrorize another person” in viola-
tion of Utah’s 2019 hate-crime law.

“Due to the demeanor displayed by Gibson
in attempts to intimate law enforcement
while destroying a ‘Pro Law Enforcement’
sign the allegations are being treated asa