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A Connecticut couple was arrested by the Middletown police after they were accused of confronting a landscaping staff about the noise their job was making and asking them about their immigration status. According to reports provided by NBC Connecticut, the proprietor of J. Martin Landscaping, Jose Martin, and the victim of the alleged verbal abuse, were unable to work due to the couple's "hostile behavior."
The incident took place on Sunday, October 8 in the vicinity of the couple's Frisbie Street home. Robert Shaw, 62, and Sharon Bourgeois-Williams, 58, were charged with one count of disorderly conduct each, according to the Middletown Police Department.
Trigger Warning: This article contains mentions of racism. Readers' discretion is advised.
The entire incident was captured on camera and the same was uploaded on different social media platforms, including Instagram, where it was shared by @thatdaneshguy. Once the video went viral, netizens began bashing the couple in the comment section and called them "trashy and uneducated."
Netizens condemn the Connecticut couple for harassing the Puerto Rican landscapers
A Connecticut couple was charged with disorderly conduct after allegedly verbally abusing two brothers from Puerto Rico who were working as landscapers and accusing them of being in the country illegally. The couple first complained about the noise to Jose Martin and his brother, but the argument quickly got out of hand.
The woman, later identified as Sharon Bourgeois-Williams, was seen asking several questions in the seven-minute video that was captured on a phone.
“You guys are clowns. Do you have a visa? Do you have a visa to be here? Do you have a visa to be here? Are you here legally?” she asked.
The man, who was identified as Robert, said:
“This is why we need a border wall. Right here, this is why we need a border wall. Get these clowns out of here.”
Martin then replied to the Connecticut couple's comments and said:
"We work hard for our living, this is a really tough job, and this is not an easy job."
The argument was captured on camera and uploaded to social media. Once the video went viral, netizens didn't shy away from slamming the duo. They took to the comments section of @thatdaneshguy's Instagram video to express their opinion.
The couple was recently arrested
The police arrived at the location at around 4:15 pm after they received a complaint about harassment. According to them, the couple was verbally abusing the landscaping crew, and violently threatening them.
Officers later spoke to the pair and Bourgeois-Williams said that Martin's work was constantly making noise, which she believed to be a violation of the noise code. According to WFSB, Middletown Mayor Ben Florsheim stated that his staff reached out to Martin and apologized to him for how he was treated.
As per NBC Connecticut, no more charges have been brought against the couple as of this writing. On Thursday morning, October 12, they turned themselves in to the authorities but were let go after posting $10,000 bonds. The Connecticut couple is expected to appear in court for their trial on October 26.
