Trump sign puts local ice cream shop in a twist
Officials said the sign was hung illegally and violates town code because it is too big
A New York ice cream shop is embroiled in a swirl of controversy, and this time flavor selection isn't to blame.
Roger's Frigate ice cream shop in Port Jefferson Village is refusing to take down the “In Trump We Trust” banner that rests above the shop after town officials said it violated town code, News12 Long Island reported.
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“It's not necessarily what the sign says,” Port Jefferson Village Mayor Margot Garant told News12. “It's basically the size and substance of the banner itself. It's an illegal sign."
Roger Rutherford, the ice cream shop's manager, told the outlet in an interview this week that George Wallis, the building's owner, put up the banner last Tuesday to support the president during the impeachment trial.
Since then, the shop has spurred quite the not-so-sweet controversy on social media.
Rutherford, Wallis and Garant did not immediately respond to FOX Business' request for comment.
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Port Jefferson Village officials said the sign was hung illegally and violates town code because it is too big.
Kathianne Snaden, Port Jefferson Village trustee, told FOX Business that signs are considered illegal if its size is disproportionate to the size of the building on which it is hung.
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"Our sign codes are in place in order to promote a uniform standard that is both reasonable and consistent throughout our village," said Snaden. "There are avenues that business owners can take to obtain approval for signs that are non-conforming. To date, the owner of this business has not taken those steps."
If the owner wanted to hang a sign with the exact same message, but on a sign that conforms to the code, it would be approved, Snaden said.
Officials said Wallis had until the end of the day Wednesday to take the sign down or face a fine of up to $2,000 each day the sign remains.
Wallis has been down this road before. In 2017, officials asked him to take down Trump banners because they violated town code, according to the outlet. He reportedly cooperated at the time.
Meanwhile, Rutherford plans to leave the sign in place at this time and believes the demands from the town violate Wallis' free speech, according to News12.
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“This is Wallis' free speech right," Rutherford told the outlet. "I think the village is treading on very thin lines there, forcing Mr. Wallis to take his sign down when he's executing his free speech right."
Town officials tell FOX Business that the sign has not been removed.