Full Breakdown
Green Party Candidate Matthew Arndt Arrested After Antisemitic Road-Rage Incident in Mequon
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
On a Thursday morning in early October 2026, 54-year-old Matthew Arndt, the Green Party nominee for Wisconsin’s 6th Congressional District, was stopped by police in Mequon after a video captured him shouting profane, anti-Israel remarks at a driver who was transporting his young son. Officers cited Arndt for disorderly conduct with a hate-crime enhancer under Wisconsin law, which raises the maximum penalty to a $10,000 fine and up to one year in county jail. The incident began on Mequon Road, continued in a Mobil-gas-station parking lot near Mequon and Wauwatosa Roads, and was recorded by the other driver.
Background & Context
Arndt is a certified public accountant and investment adviser who runs on a Green Party platform that includes breaking up monopolies, Medicare for All, and ending U.S. military support for Israel. The Wisconsin Green Party has taken a strong anti-Israel stance, aligning with global Green Party positions that label Zionism as comparable to bigotry.
Official Statements & Responses
- Mequon Police Department released a statement confirming the arrest and describing the exchange as involving profane and antisemitic language.
- Arndt told FOX 6 that his remarks were directed at the Israeli government, not at Jewish people, and that he would not apologize for the political message, though he acknowledged the video did not show the full context.
- Rep.
- Democratic candidate Brad Smith labeled the language “unacceptable,” especially because a child was present.
Data & Statistics
- Charge: Disorderly conduct with a hate-crime enhancer (misdemeanor).
- Potential penalty: Up to $10,000 fine and one year in county jail under Wisconsin hate-crime statutes.
- Election date: The upcoming November election for the 6th Congressional District.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Well he’s an embarrassment to the entire state of Wisconsin, and I hope so far as this becomes news, it’s considered aberrant behavior,” — S. Rep. Glenn Grothman
- “You’re a f*cking piece of s! You’re a f*cking traitor!” — Matthew Arndt
- “The whole country’s against you, you piece of s—.” — Free Palestine
What’s Next
The investigative report will be forwarded to the Ozaukee County District Attorney’s Office for a charging decision. The case will unfold in the weeks leading up to the November election, where Arndt will face Republican incumbent Rep. Glenn Grothman, Democrat Brad Smith, and independent candidates.
*The incident occurred one day after the third anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel, which killed approximately 1,200 people and sparked the war in Gaza.*