A California Target employee faced harassment over a conservative shirt, sparking national debate on free speech and polarization.

A viral video from a California Target store shows a woman, identified online as Michelea Ponce, confronting an elderly employee over a red "Freedom" shirt linked to conservative figure Charlie Kirk. Ponce, a self-described anti-racism advocate, shouted at the employee, called her "stupid," and accused her of supporting racism, threatening to report her. The employee, who calmly defended her right to wear the shirt, continued working. The incident, widely shared on social media, sparked debate over free expression, political polarization, and workplace conduct, with Ponce's social media accounts reportedly locked amid backlash. Her identity and employer have been reported but not independently verified.