PARK CITY, Utah — Florida Rep. Maxwell Frost mentioned he was “punched within the face” on Friday whereas on the Sundance Movie Competition by a person who allegedly instructed him President Donald Trump was going to deport him.
The incident occurred at a celebration hosted by the company CAA, a supply with data of the occasion instructed NBC Information. The uninvited visitor, who seemed to be drunk, made racist feedback to the congressman within the restroom, adopted him out of the rest room and punched him, in accordance with the supply.
Safety swiftly eliminated the alleged assailant from the social gathering, which was attended by greater than 100 filmmakers, brokers and executives, the supply mentioned.
Law enforcement officials responded to a report of an assault at Excessive West Saloon on Friday and decided {that a} man had unlawfully entered a personal social gathering after beforehand having been turned away for not having an invite, mentioned Danielle Snelson, a Park Metropolis Police group outreach lieutenant.
As soon as inside, “the person assaulted Florida Congressman Maxwell Frost and a feminine” who was additionally on the occasion, Snelson mentioned in an e-mail Saturday.
The person was arrested and booked into the Summit County Jail on two counts every of easy assault and aggravated housebreaking, with every cost topic to a sentencing enhancement, the lieutenant mentioned.
The Park Metropolis Police Division didn’t present a duplicate of the arrest report when requested by NBC Information.
In a submit on X linking to a report from Selection in regards to the incident, Frost, 29, mentioned the person “was heard screaming racist remarks as he drunkenly ran off.”
”The person was arrested and I’m okay,” Frost added. “Thanks to the venue safety and Park Metropolis PD for help on this incident.”
A consultant for the movie competition mentioned “we strongly condemn final night time’s assault and abhor any type of violence, harassment, and hate speech.”
“Whereas the incident occurred at a non-Competition-affiliated occasion, such habits is insupportable and in opposition to our values of upholding a welcoming and provoking atmosphere for all our attendees,” the Sundance spokesperson mentioned in a press release. “The protection and safety of our competition goers stays our chief concern, and our ideas are with Congressman Frost and his continued well-being.”
In a submit on X, Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries, D-NY, mentioned he was “horrified by the assault” on Frost and known as for the alleged attacker to be “aggressively prosecuted.”
“Hate and political violence has no place in our nation, and your entire Home Democratic Caucus household stands with Maxwell,” Jeffries mentioned.
Frost wrote a second submit on X thanking folks for an outpouring of assist.
“We’re in scary instances,” he wrote. “Please keep protected and don’t let these folks silence you. Onwards.”
