Man Arrested for Attacking Turning Point USA Member at UT Tyler
A man was arrested after allegedly assaulting a Turning Point USA representative and students with a cane at the University of Texas at Tyler.
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A man was arrested at the University of Texas at Tyler on Tuesday after allegedly assaulting a Turning Point USA field representative and two students with a cane during a campus event. The incident, captured on video, shows the man becoming agitated after encountering a Turning Point USA booth, tearing down the group’s American flag, and swinging at conservative students with a prop cane.
Incident Details and Response
The video footage reveals the man shouting, “Y’all don’t deserve this,” after tearing down the American flag. He then aggressively raised what has been described as a prop cane, calling the Turning Point USA students “fascist pieces of shit.” After hitting an individual with the cane, another person intervened to stop him. The man was then placed in handcuffs and escorted away by police.
University Statement and Legal Action
UT Tyler police responded immediately and arrested the man, who was criminally trespassed from the school, according to a university statement. UT Tyler President Dr. Julie Philley emphasized that everyone has the right to free speech, but violence will not be tolerated on campus.
The alleged assailant was not a student at UT Tyler and has been accused of assaulting three people during the Turning Point USA event. The attack occurred during a “Pick Up the Mic” event, a Turning Point USA initiative aimed at continuing the legacy of its founder, Charlie Kirk, through interactive Q&A and “Prove Me Wrong”-style events.
Political Context and Recent Attacks
Rep. Nathaniel Moran (R-TX) commented on the incident, stating, “The First Amendment protects your right to speak, even to protest. It does not protect assaulting people you disagree with.” He also noted that violence has no place on any campus and praised the quick response from UT Tyler police.
This incident is part of a series of attacks Turning Point USA has faced since the assassination of its founder, Charlie Kirk, last year. Recently, an unhinged leftist was arrested after being caught on video appearing to backhand a Turning Point Action volunteer in New Hampshire. Two men were also arrested and charged with plotting to throw objects at attendees of a Turning Point USA event at the University of New Mexico.
Public Reaction and Criticism
Comedians and podcast hosts have been mocking Kirk’s assassination in recent weeks, which many argue signals a tolerance for or sympathy with political violence. Comedian Dave Chappelle joked about Kirk’s murder at a Madison Square Garden show, while Michael Che mocked the assassination during his Netflix special. Jennifer Welch, a leftist podcaster, laughed about desecrating Kirk’s body, resulting in her show losing sponsors.
Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk’s wife, expressed her outrage, stating, “To see leftist podcasters, comedians, and commentators laugh about political assassination as though it’s entertainment and the destruction of a human life is a punchline, is beyond disgusting.”
Source: Breitbart
