The man who planted Nazi flags in Evansville demanding the mayor step down; deal struck between the two. 

CASPER — What began as an inflammatory protest that shocked a small Wyoming community has evolved into a somewhat one-sided war of words between an Evansville resident and the town’s mayor.

A protest of the mayor’s show of support for the LGBTQ+ community early last week devolved into a testy back-and-forth via email between Jeremy Brown, the resident, and Evansville Mayor Candace Machado. Brown has spent much of this week advocating for the removal of Machado from office while simultaneously reaffirming his desire to work with the town on drafting an ordinance to ban the display of symbols like Pride flags on town property.

Following the placement of roughly 20 Pride flags on the Evansville Municipal Building’s lawn, Brown drew dozens of chalk swastikas on the walkways surrounding the town hall and police department on June 9.

Shortly after, Brown spoke at a regularly scheduled town council meeting, where he decried the placement of the Pride flags, described the council as “toxic” and “like a cancer” and said he would escalate his actions if the council didn’t accede to his demands.

Brown said in a conversation with the Star-Tribune on June 10 that the flag display was “projecting hate and allowing hate.”

“It opens the doors, because then I can put my swastikas, because it’s like a free speech thing,” he said when asked how Pride flags are hateful.

Machado described the display as a show “supporting unity, love and compassion for all constituents in the town, not just some constituents in the town” on June 10, the day after Brown drew the swastikas on the town hall’s sidewalk.

Brown ordered small Nazi flags and said if the council failed to remove the Pride flags before his order arrived, he would plant the Nazi flags on the municipal building’s lawn alongside the Pride flags.

The Pride flags remained, so on June 11, Brown did what he said he was going to do.

The Nazi flags were quickly removed by a passerby and given to the town’s chief of police, precipitating an “interesting exchange” between the chief, Brown, Machado and an officer, the mayor said.

Following the removal of those flags, Machado emailed Brown to offer an agreement: The city would remove the Pride flags and work with Brown to draft an ordinance to address Brown’s concerns regarding the town’s endorsement of “ideology” in exchange for Brown to cease his protests.

The deal

The contents of the deal Machado struck with Brown have been posted to Facebook in a private group that shows a polite conversation laden with underlying tension.

“I'd be honored to play a role in helping find a solution to the issue. I believe that between you, myself, and everyone included in this conversation, we can come to some kind of a common ground and get Evansville back on track. This whole fiasco has gone off the rails, and it's time we bring it back to the center,” Brown wrote in an ensuing email to Machado.

In her explanation of the deal in a Tuesday interview with the Star-Tribune, Machado repeatedly emphasized the importance of ensuring the safety of city staff, public officials and their families. She declined to say whether she or any other town officials had received credible threats from members of the public.

Machado added that she removed the flags shortly after 3 p.m. on Sunday, ahead of the 5 p.m. deadline she agreed to with Brown.

Machado on Tuesday said she was arranging the return of the donated Pride flags to Casper Pride.

She also redecorated her office with iridescent streamers, multicolored pinwheels and a rainbow piñata, all visible in her window from the street.

“I am a very vibrant and colorful person on a regular basis. The theme will probably change as the theme progresses,” she wrote in an email to Brown.

On Tuesday, she stopped short of saying the redecoration was explicitly a Pride display, but reaffirmed her support of the movement.

“I do feel like I'm sending a clear message that I am fully in support of pride,” she said.

“Casper Pride and I had a conversation beforehand,” she noted. “They were fully supportive of me taking down the flags so that inciting of violence or aggression would not continue in the town.”

“While I appreciate seeing the flags had come off the front lawn I see Candice [sic] still likes to play games by hanging pride flags in the window to be displayed. Which totally and utterly defeats the whole point I was trying to make. Absolutely zero ideologies on display at a government building. Thanks for spitting in my face Candice [sic] and for showing your true colors, pun intended,” Brown wrote in a Sunday email to Machado.

Brown also left a series of comments on the mayor’s Facebook page calling for Machado’s resignation, noting “the games are just beginning.”

The comments are no longer visible, and as of late Thursday afternoon. Brown’s Facebook page could not be found. It remains unclear if he was suspended or deleted his account.

Brown did not respond to a request for comment Thursday afternoon.

Evansville resident Luke Onderko on June 16 created a Change.org petition to recall Machado as mayor.

“The citizens of Evansville, Wyoming, deserve a mayor that represents our values and prioritizes our community’s needs. Mayor Candace Machado has demonstrated a lack of commitment to these principles,” according to the petition.

On Thursday afternoon, Brown and another Evansville resident, Ryan Perry, set up chairs on the town hall’s lawn with signs that read “Machado must go,” soliciting signatures on paper petitions.

Elected officials in Wyoming can be removed from office by gathering signatures in a community equal to 25% of registered voters.

The since-removed petition garnered nine verified signatures as of Thursday.

“The present administration under Mayor Machado has faced criticism on numerous fronts, including decision-making that lacks transparency, inadequate responsiveness to community concerns, and policies that do not reflect the welfare and desires of Evansville’s residents,” according to the Change.org petition.

Machado told the Star-Tribune she will not be resigning.

The ordinance

Machado told the Star-Tribune the city had begun drafting an ordinance to limit the types of flags that can be flown at the Evansville Municipal Building.

“Safety is going to be of the utmost importance when we’re trying to find middle grounds,” Machado said of her motivation for finding a compromise with Brown.

The specifics of the ordinance were not immediately available, but Machado solicited Brown for input on model ordinances he believes the city should take into account.

In his emails, Brown cited examples from Hamtramck, Mich.; Tacoma, Sunnyside and Spokane, Wash.; San Jose, Calif.; and state bills from Montana and Utah.

Machado on Thursday said the town is working on the ordinance, but the municipality does not have an estimated completion date.

This story was published on June 20, 2025.