Gay activist faces stoning threat at Oregon City Council meeting
In Klamath Falls, Ore., a Black gay activist is shedding light on the disturbing threats he faced at a recent city council meeting. Eric Osterberg, the city's assistant manager, revealed to the assembly of council members that a local resident, whose name has not been disclosed, leveled a threat against him prior to the start of the meeting.
Before delivering his presentation discussing an equity task force, Osterberg began with a brief recount of what transpired during his exchange with the resident, reports Queerty.
"I just want to start the meeting off by pointing to you that just having a simple conversation about racism in our community is gaining that level of violence, that threat of violence," Osterberg told the assembly. He then shared that the assailant had told him "brought a rock to this meeting" and accused him of being "a sinner" for his sexuality and "of spreading Aids here in the community." The anonymous attacker also accused Osterberg of blasphemy for "trying to say that I am the second coming of Christ."
Yesterday, Eric Osterberg, a Klamath Falls (Oregon) official who is also gay and Black, was making a presentation about equity.\n\nBefore he did that, a Christian man threatened him, holding a rock, saying he deserved to be stoned.\n\nHere's Osterberg explaining what happened.pic.twitter.com/dstzoFkYFP— Hemant Mehta (@Hemant Mehta) 1628083358
Osterberg went to reveal what the resident said to him before suggesting he be stoned.
"You are a sinner and you need to be stoned. That is why I brought this stone," the man allegedly said to Osterberg before showing him a large rock reportedly as large as a human's head.
He added, "I'm not sure if he was arrested or just asked to go home," Osterberg said during the meeting. "I would hope that he was arrested since he made a direct threat to me, and I think it would be pretty bad if he was allowed to just leave."
However, it was later reported that Klamath Falls police chief Robert Dentinger did remove the person who threatened Osterberg but opted not to arrest him. In a brief statement to reporters, Dentinger acknowledged the situation as he claimed there was still not enough evidence to arrest the suspect. "As of (Monday) night there was not enough information to arrest him," Dentinger said. "But as things change, we are going to have to talk to him."
