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Oct 30, 2024

Woman ordered to tear down 'grisly' Donald Trump Halloween display outside her home - Mirror Online

A mum claims a 'petty' city council tried to fine her more than £75 per day over her grisly Halloween display - of a life-size man being ran over by Donald Trump in a car on her lawn. Cherise Pfeifer

A mum claims a 'petty' city council tried to fine her more than £75 per day over her grisly Halloween display - of a life-size man being ran over by Donald Trump in a car on her lawn.

Cherise Pfeifer had decorated her home for the spooky celebrations by covering her house in handmade haunted characters and tombstones at the beginning of October.

As part of her display, the 42-year-old also created a 'car crash' scene on her front lawn using a real vehicle to act out a hit and run, with a mocked up 'corpse' on the car bonnet and the 45th President's head behind the wheel.

But after showcasing the spooky car accident outside her house for three weeks, Cherise claims she received a letter from the city council on October 18th threatening to fine her for it over a 'petty' technicality.

Spooktacular footage shows a blue sports car parked outside her house with Trump behind the wheel and President Biden in the passenger seat as his rival appears to run over a mechanic.

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The mum-of-two says her 'car crash' scene has been part of her Halloween festivities for the last three years and has never received a complaint about it before.

She claims her neighbourhood loves her decorations and people in the city travel to see them every year.

But after trying to argue the issue with the council, Cherise claims she was left with no choice but to remove the car from her front lawn to avoid a daily $122 fine.

In the letter, Wausau City Council states the vehicle parked on her front lawn is a violation of one of the city's municipal codes - which the mum branded 'petty'.

Insurance agent Cherise, who bought her home 18 years ago and has been doing extravegent Halloween decorations for a decade, says the council is simply 'sucking the fun' out of Halloween.

Cherise, from Wausau in Wisconsin, US, said: "I've been doing insane Halloween decorations at my house for 10 years.

"I'm known in the city for them and I make them all myself. About two years ago I implemented a car crash scene at the front of my house and tape it all off.

"Usually I put a skeleton as the driver but this year I put Donald Trump and president Joe Biden as the characters in my car. [In the scene] they hit an auto mechanic body that was created like they were angry that they hadn't fixed the car right.

"Everyone loves them and everyone is very angry that I've been made to take it down. People said they love coming to my house to look at my decorations.

"They [the council] gave me until the 22nd to take them down but when I rang them they said because I was now aware of it they could find me every day.

"I think it's stupid and I even told them that. I think they are trying to take it as I don't have anywhere to park my car so I just park it in my front yard but that's not the case.

"I have room for eight cars on my driveway and I only currently have three parked there. It's not like I can't park it in my driveway. It's a Halloween decoration. 'You're a fun sucker'. That's what I called them [the council].

"The car crash scene was out there for two months last year. I think it is 100 percent petty that I am having to remove this. It's a Halloween decoration. It's got to the point where it seems we can't even decorate our own houses for the holidays or express ourselves. I own my house. I have done so for the last 18 years and I pay my property taxes."

On the City Council of Wausau website it states that parking of vehicles on the grass in the city is not allowed and they must be parked on established driveways or parking areas that are hard-surfaced. Cherise argued that because the vehicle was parked on her front lawn as part of her Halloween display this does not violate the municipal city code.

And while it is the first year she has swapped a skeleton driver for the political figures in the front of the car, she still sees the council complaint as 'stupid'. Cherise is now trying to obtain a permit which would enable her to put the car accident scene back in front of her house for October 31st.

Cherise said: "A lot of people online have been telling me to fight it and they are angry about it. I am going to figure out a way to put them back up. I don't know if it is partially political this year because of who I had in the car.

"The election in this country right now is crazy and I put two of the people that are head to head with each other. If the inspectors didn't like one of the people that I put in the car, I could see them doing that.

"It doesn't make sense that they would come after me this year and not any of the other years. The majority of people online said this was absolutely ridiculous as they loved coming to see my decorations and this is taking away from the fun of it.

"I don't know if they even have Halloween permits. I am definitely going to go harder next year. I am even considering going harder this year as it's not even Halloween yet. I've thought about putting a chair on my roof with a body on it.

"I might even get a big sign which reads, 'the city made me take my car crash scene down'. I'm pretty mad about it and it's not something you'd think would happen."

After sharing a post about her decoration complaint on Facebook users were quick to debate the issue. While some people were seen to agree with the city council's argument, others were quick to defend Cherise.

One user said: "And this is why people don't do much for decorations for holidays anymore. The car isn't hurting anyone. It's simply part of the theme for the decorations. Wausau sucks man."

Another added: "You can NOT park a vehicle on your lawn in the City of Wausau. Read your citation…duh."

A third commented: "Dudes a total fun snatcher. It isn't hurting anyone. You obviously don't have it [the car] there after the holiday. What a poor sport." A fourth added: "The citation is for parking on the lawn. Not for decorations."

A fifth said: "I had no clue it's illegal to park a car on YOUR OWN LAWN. How ridiculous. And people wonder why no one decorates anymore." Wausau City Council was contacted for comment.