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WATCH: Antigay Philly Cop Shakes Down Driver

WATCH: Antigay Philly Cop Shakes Down Driver

Shakedown

A Philadelphia officer is on administrative leave after a video of his highly unethical behavior surfaced.

Nbroverman

Matthew Zagursky of the Philadelphia Police Department was caught on camera threatening to impound a driver's car if he didn't buy tickets to a police union's ball -- then proceeded to call the driver a "fruitcake" because he had pink windshield wipers.

"What's up with the [faggot-ass] wipers?" Zagursky asked, according to the Huffington Post (the video bleeps out the antigay slur). The driver then explains the wipers are in support of his grandmother's breast cancer diagnosis. "Breast cancer I can understand, but can't you support breast cancer in another way? You look like a fruitcake, you know? What the hell?"

It's not clear whether the nine-year veteran of the force will be punished for his antigay ribbing, but police commissioner Charles Ramsey admitted to press that Zagursky extorted the driver when he said, "Either you buy these or I take your car, 'cause it's unregistered.'" The video seems to show the driver paying $30 for the tickets.

Zagursky is now off the streets of the city's 24th District and working on administrative duty, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Nbroverman
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Neal Broverman

Neal Broverman is the Editorial Director, Print of Pride Media, publishers of The Advocate, Out, Out Traveler, and Plus, spending more than 20 years in journalism. He indulges his interest in transportation and urban planning with regular contributions to Los Angeles magazine, and his work has also appeared in the Los Angeles Times and USA Today. He lives in the City of Angels with his husband, children, and their chiweenie.
Neal Broverman is the Editorial Director, Print of Pride Media, publishers of The Advocate, Out, Out Traveler, and Plus, spending more than 20 years in journalism. He indulges his interest in transportation and urban planning with regular contributions to Los Angeles magazine, and his work has also appeared in the Los Angeles Times and USA Today. He lives in the City of Angels with his husband, children, and their chiweenie.