When Julien Thomas Schuessler was asked why he intentionally pulled off the road to knock over a Donald Trump campaign sign, the 20-year-old had a brief reply.
“I did what I felt was morally right,” WECT-TV reported he said. “Spread love, not hate.”
Schuessler’s move is indeed spreading.
Since the North Carolina resident posted a video of himself crashing into a Trump sign in Wilmington on Tuesday — the day of the state’s primary — his Facebook clip has been viewed more than 3 million times and has attracted more than 80,000 shares.
He wrote only this message to accompany the video: “I love having a Jeep sometimes.”
As you might imagine, Schuessler has been lauded for his actions by friends as well as people in general who don’t like Trump:
“You’re literally my favorite person ever,” commented Sarah El-Baytam;
“My friend Julien Schuessler got a viral video going and it couldn’t be more awesome. Props,” David Arango posted;
“So badass,” Kendall Anthony-Busbee wrote.
But given the clip’s viral status, it wasn’t long before police caught wind of it: Schuessler has been charged with hit and run, reckless driving and failing to maintain lane control, WECT-TV reported.
In response, friends apparently launched a GoFundMe page in support of Schuessler, but the page was soon taken down.
WECT also reported that on Tuesday a red Swastika was painted on a different Trump campaign sign in the area.