A Wisconsin congressional candidate was arrested after an explosive confrontation with an Israeli father whose young son was in the car.

The ugly encounter reportedly began after the candidate spotted a bumper sticker condemning Hamas, as reported by The New York Post.

Matthew Arndt, 54, allegedly cut off the 41-year-old father Thursday morning on a road in Mequon, a Milwaukee suburb.

The father said Arndt cursed at him, gave him the finger, and nearly pushed him from his lane.

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Arndt then pulled into a gas station, where the father followed while recording the encounter. When the father asked, “Do you want to tell me something?” Arndt unleashed a vulgar response.

“Yeah, you’re a f–king piece of s–t! You’re a f–king traitor!” Arndt shouted while pointing at the motorist. He then raged, “You’re a f–king Israel f–king traitor! F–k you! F–k Israel! Go f–k yourself!”

By Thursday evening, police had arrested Arndt on a disorderly conduct charge with a hate crime enhancer.

During the confrontation, the candidate appeared eager for the father to publish the footage and volunteered that he was seeking public office.

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“You know what? Go post it on social media. I’m running for Congress in the 6th District, and f–k Israel! Go f–k yourself!” Arndt shouted. When the stunned father asked whether he was really running, Arndt replied, “F–k the Israel lobby! F–k the neocons!”

Asked for his name, Arndt identified himself and said, “Free Palestine! Matthew Arndt.” The father sarcastically answered, “You’re a great guy. I’m definitely going to vote for you.”

The father, an Israeli immigrant who has lived in the US for about 12 years, told The Post that he had been driving his son to school. His vehicle displayed an Israeli flag sticker carrying a profane message against Hamas.

“I was driving my son to school this morning. Someone was driving behind me. I have an Israeli flag sticker with ‘F–k Hamas,’ which, as far as I understand, is a terror organization that was declared so by the US,” the father said.

He said the sticker appeared to anger Arndt, who pulled alongside him, opened his window, cursed and made an obscene gesture. According to the father, Arndt was “almost trying to push me off the lane.”

‘F*CK ISRAEL. F*CK THE ISRAEL LOBBY’ — Wisconsin congressional candidate ARRESTED on ‘HATE CRIME CHARGES’ over ANTI-ISRAEL outburst

Matthew Arndt allegedly cut off an Israeli father displaying Israeli flags before berating him at a gas station https://t.co/qwhUBHSxC9 — RT (@RT_com) October 9, 2026

The father said he kept his distance because his young son remained in the back seat. He drove behind Arndt, photographed the vehicle’s license plate, and followed when Arndt entered the gas station.

“I have no idea why I did this, but I pulled in as well with my camera on and was like, ‘Hey, what’s going on?’ and the rest of it is in the video,” he recalled.

The father said he did not know Arndt’s identity until Arndt supplied his name and announced that he was running for Congress.

He said political disagreement was no excuse for behavior he described as aggressive and violent.

“The first thought that comes to mind is, even if I disagree with someone, I would never want someone that acts like this to run for Congress,” the father said.

He added that the confrontation was particularly uncomfortable because his son was present.

The father also emphasized that his bumper sticker targeted Hamas, not Palestinians generally.

“It doesn’t go against the Palestinians. I have nothing against the Palestinians. I definitely have an issue with an organization that wants the Jews dead,” he said.

Arndt is a certified public accountant and investment adviser running for Wisconsin’s 6th Congressional District on a Green Party platform. His agenda includes breaking up monopolies, providing Medicare for All, and severing US ties with Israel.

His campaign website, titled “End the Cartel,” promises an overhaul of the political establishment and challenges powerful Washington interests.

Arndt declares that he is not running to “‘restore norms’ or ‘reach across the aisle’ or have ‘the courage to compromise’ just to preserve a corrupt system.”

The website also promotes religious tolerance and says America belongs to people of all faiths, including Jews and Muslims.

It proclaims, “America is for all of us—or it is not America at all. And any politics that teaches us to hate each other is not patriotism. It is poison.”

The Green Party has taken a significant stand against Israel internationally. In the United Kingdom, the party voted to adopt a measure treating Zionism, meaning support for the Jewish state of Israel, like forms of bigotry, including racism.

Arndt did not respond to a request for comment.

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