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Last year, Sven Sundgaard, of Minneapolis, was fired from his job as meteorologist for Kare 11 after he called out anti-lockdown protestors on social media, but a recent lawsuit says that's not why Sundgaard was fired at all.
Sundgaard has been facing abuses as far back as 2007, according to his lawsuit, when he made the cover of Lavender, a LGBTQ+ magazine in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. And Sundgaard, who is gay, has filed a lawsuit alleging a homophobic environment that ultimately resulted in the loss of his job.
Meteorologist Sven Sundgaard is suing KARE and its parent company, TEGNA, claiming he was fired last year because o… https://t.co/4l2tJYpcwh— Star Tribune (@Star Tribune) 1618617660.0
Sundgaard was fired after retweeting a comment by Rabbi Michael Adam Latz.
Rabbi Latz called anti-lockdown and anti-mask protestors who carried their guns "white nationalist Nazi sympathizer gun fetishist miscreants."
At the time, heavily armed known White nationalist and White supremacist groups were storming the Minnesota state capitol in protest of pandemic protocols.
@StarTribune Good for him. Enough with any discrimination.— CJ Gronner (@CJ Gronner) 1618629186.0
@StarTribune Pay up @kare11 , @svensundgaard was a huge asset to the station and the very best weather professional… https://t.co/0Ebrd7faf8— Jesse James (@Jesse James) 1618627126.0
@StarTribune Got your back, Sven! Go get em!! <3— PS (@PS) 1618639873.0
@StarTribune Only watched kare11 for Sven. Better on youtube anyhow. Team Sven!— codi crooks watry (@codi crooks watry) 1618636746.0
@StarTribune Way to go @svensundgaard! I haven’t watched Kare11 since you left. It’s bs!— Amy Johnson (@Amy Johnson) 1618621720.0
After filing the suit, Sundgaard said he'd been completely overwhelmed by the outpouring of support.
"I hope to continue to receive your support as I embark upon this difficult journey that will highlight the unfair treatment to which I was subjected."
"While a lawsuit is not ideal for anyone, I believe it is important to take action to prevent what happened to me from happening to others."
"I do this also, for the countless young people who have thanked me for being an openly gay man, making it easier for them to be true to themselves."
"My late mom always taught me to stick up for myself."
@StarTribune Get 'em.— Peter A (@Peter A) 1618618041.0
@StarTribune Its very difficult to prove. But the burden of proof is lower in civil court. Give em' hell @svensundgaard— Sandbeck For Progress (@Sandbeck For Progress) 1618618059.0
@StarTribune Only thing I had against Sven was his jackets...but I blame his tailor for allowing them to be so tight.— TonkaDad (@TonkaDad) 1618622078.0
@StarTribune Good! They have had a couple really bad weather people their since Sven left!— TDog The Legend (@TDog The Legend) 1618658830.0
@StarTribune We’ve got your back, Sven! And if you miss him, you can check out his forecasts at @bringmethenews— BethAnne all the other March sisters (@BethAnne all the other March sisters) 1618632836.0
Kare 11 denies the allegations of homophobia.
A spokesperson for the station said in a statement:
"One of our core values as a station is inclusion."
"We are committed to maintaining a respectful workplace free from all forms of discrimination and harassment."
@StarTribune I support @svensundgaard 100%— Jazzy Minx (@Jazzy Minx) 1618618976.0
@StarTribune Hahaha the woke media being skewered by a woke solider. I love it.— LewisNixon (@LewisNixon) 1618667641.0
@StarTribune Of course, Nowadays if somebody gets upset or their butt hurt over something it’s because of their rac… https://t.co/cSi4ekrrRG— Jennifer Dox (@Jennifer Dox) 1618681059.0
@StarTribune We’re right there with you Sven.— Zelda's Mom 🌊🌊🌊 (@Zelda's Mom 🌊🌊🌊) 1618754091.0
Sundgaard's lawsuit is for over $300,000, which is back pay from his firing and punitive damages.