By Sharon Zhang
This text was initially printed by Truthout
The person allegedly mentioned “we’re going to deport you and your type” to the Democratic lawmaker.
Democratic Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost (Florida) mentioned he was assaulted on Friday night time by a person who allegedly mentioned that the nonwhite lawmaker and his “type” are going to be deported, in one other occasion of violence seemingly spurred by the Trump administration’s bigoted anti-immigrant agenda.
In a press release on X, Frost mentioned he was “assaulted by a person at Sundance [Film] Pageant who informed me that Trump was going to deport me earlier than he punched me within the face. He was heard screaming racist remarks as he drunkenly ran off.” The lawmaker, an outspoken critic of Trump’s immigration raids, mentioned that he’s “okay” after the punch.
Selection first reported that the alleged assault occurred at a bar, the place a expertise company on the movie competition was holding a celebration. A supply informed the outlet that the person had snuck into the occasion, and was bragging to people who he was proud to be “white.”
A police affidavit says that he was making feedback in regards to the race of Frost and his pal, an unidentified girl. He pulled them in like he was hugging them and informed them, “we’re going to deport you and your type,” then yelled a racial slur when the 2 pushed him away. He punched Frost within the face, then grabbed one other girl, pushed her towards the bar, and repeated the threats about deportation.
The alleged assailant was recognized by native regulation enforcement as Christian Joel Younger. The incident is being investigated as a possible hate crime, in accordance with the affidavit, native retailers report.
Frost’s marketing campaign web site identifies him as having “roots in Puerto Rican, Lebanese, and Haitian ancestry.” He was adopted at beginning right into a household of Cuban immigrants.
“Thanks for all of the nicely needs,” Frost wrote on his X account. “We’re in scary instances. Please keep protected and don’t let these folks silence you. Onwards.”
Consultants have warned that Trump’s hateful language towards immigrants and nonwhite folks would result in violence. The alleged assault comes as the proper is more and more and brazenly embracing white nationalism.
Quite a few Trump administration businesses, together with the Division of Homeland Safety, have been posting white supremacist and neo-Nazi language on their social media accounts. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is concentrating on right-wing extremists at gun reveals and different right-coded occasions for recruitment. Their propaganda obliquely appeals to ridding the U.S. of nonwhite folks, whereas figures near the administration like Elon Musk endorse the outright ethnic cleaning of the U.S.
Trump has additionally incited violence immediately towards Democratic lawmakers. The president has inspired violence towards Democrats who’ve spoken up towards him. He was comparatively silent final yr when a person assassinated a Democrat, former Minnesota Home Speaker Melissa Hortman — and, in truth, took the chance to unfold unsubstantiated conspiracy theories about Democrats within the state.
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