Despite a protest from some of his neighbors, the man who placed an effigy of Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin hanging from a noose in front of his house is not backing down.

A half dozen neighbors went to the home on North Orange Grove with the Halloween display and held up sheets to try to block its view from passing motorists, said Steve Whitmore, spokesman for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

He emphasized that it was a peaceful and lawful protest. ChadMichael Morrisette, a professional window display designer who set up the life-size mannequin of Palin in front of his house, said the protesters were mostly concerned that the Palin display cast a bad light on the city’s gay community.

“They told us we respect you as artists, we’re just concerned about the effect on the community,” Morrisette said. “I don’t resent them. I’m not angry at them. I respect their rights.” Morrisette, 28, said he talked by phone last night with West Hollywood Mayor Jeffrey Prang. He said Prang told them that he respected his first amendment rights but urged him to take down the display. “He said, “Think of the bigger picture,’” Morrisette said. “I told the mayor I will have it down by 8 a.m. Saturday. He said, ‘Thank you, the sooner the better."

On Wednesday, a city official delivered to Morrisette an inch thick collection of e-mails from people concerning the Palin display. Morrisette said he was told that City Hall also had to open extra phone lines to take all of the calls it received from around the country.

Morrisette said he set up the Palin effigy three weeks ago. He said he wanted to insert politics into his Halloween decorating since the holiday comes four days before the presidential election.

--Victoria Kim, Raja Abdulrahim and Andrew Blankstein

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