An Oregon grand jury declined to indict Adebisi Okuneye (23) and Leopold Hauser (22), who were accused of assaulting a gentleman named Luke Lenzner (34) for wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat at a Portland bar.
An article in Oregon Live makes it clear Lenzer was spoiling for a fight:
Lenzner’s account came under scrutiny after video surfaced that appeared to show him threatening and picking fights with patrons at a different bar earlier in the evening. During that confrontation, Lenzner also said he served in the military — a claim he later admitted wasn’t true.
Though Okuneye and Hauser were ultimately charged with third-degree assault in their encounter with Lenzner, court documents painted a convoluted scene.
Lenzner’s wife, who isn’t named in the records, told police that she and her husband had been to several bars that night and that she was curious how people in Portland would react to his “Make America Great Again” hat.
She had asked her husband to wear the hat so she could see how people would treat him, according to a probable cause affidavit.
From Raw Story:
At one point in the video, Lenzner can be heard yelling, “I served for you… f*ck you!” at patrons.
But when asked by KATU about his military service, Lenzner admitted that he never served but pointed out that he had family members who did.
“He said his comment in the video about serving was said in the heat of the moment and that it came out wrong,” reports KATU. “He said he regrets saying it.”
Lenzner went to another bar with his wife after being asked to leave Growler’s Taproom, which was where he said he was assaulted by two people who were offended by his hat. The two people accused of assaulting Lenzner, however, say that he was verbally and physically aggressive with them and appeared to be spoiling for a fight.
Specifically, reports KATU, one of the alleged assailants said in an affidavit that Lenzner came out of the bar and yelled at her, “B*tch do you like my hat?” The two then got into a verbal argument that escalated until Lenzner shoved her companion, KATU reports.
Image: YouTube