Student who wore gorilla mask at rally indicted on charges
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A grand jury has indicted a former East Tennessee State University student who police said disrupted an on-campus Black Lives Matter rally while wearing a gorilla mask and carrying a rope and bananas.
Assistant District Attorney Erin McArdle confirmed this week to news outlets that a Washington County grand jury indicted Tristan Rettke of Hendersonville on two counts of civil rights intimidation, two counts of disorderly conduct and disrupting a meeting.
Police say Rettke dressed in overalls, wore a gorilla mask and dangled bananas tied with rope in people's faces at the Sept. 28 protest.
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Witnesses testified that Rettke used racial slurs, intimidated them and made them fearful.
His attorney Patrick Denton says Rettke was exercising his freedom of speech and did not intimidate anyone.