Shocking video shows man punching anti-Trump protester in the face outside Cincinnati rally after ‘dispute over politics’
An anti-Trump protester was punched in the face multiple times when he was demonstrating outside the Cincinnati arena where President Donald Trump was holding a rally on Thursday, August 1. The shocking video footage incident has been shared widely on social media.
The altercation, which broke out at the East Pete Rose Way and Broadway in Cincinnati, was captured by eyewitness Scott Fantozzi, who claimed the fight stemmed from a "dispute over politics", Daily Mail reports.
One man dressed in a green T-shirt and cap is seen in the video getting out of his red Ford truck before approaching the other individual and throwing a series of jabs at him.
The victim, wearing a blue T-shirt, is seen trying to defend himself from the barrage of punches directed at him.
The attacker was apprehended by Cincinnati police officers just moments after the fight broke out.
Similar to the cries by Trump supporters for Hillary Clinton, the onlooking crowd began chanting "Lock him up" as the assaulter was captured by authorities.
The perpetrator has now been identified as 29-year-old Dallas Frazier, per Cincinnati police. He has since been arrested and booked for assault at the Hamilton County Justice Center.
Meanwhile, the victim was identified as 61-year-old anti-Trump protestor Mike Alter, who told WCPO that the protest against President Trump’s campaign visit to US Bank Arena had been peaceful until Frazier's arrival.
“These guys pulled up in the pickup truck, everyone was yelling back and forth at them,” Alter said.
According to a police report, the “suspect exited the vehicle, stated ‘you want some,’ then struck the victim multiple times in the face.”
“I was more questioning him” than trying to provoke him," Alter told the outlet. “Like really you want to fight?”
Frazier subsequently hit Alter three times and continued to swing as another protestor tried to break up the fight. Police at the scene immediately got a hold of Frazier and forced his arms behind his back.
“(I thought,) ‘What the hell?’” Alter said. “He started just whaling on my head. I didn’t go down, for what that’s worth.”
Here's the video (with swearing, just FYI) from Scott Fantozzi, who was also part of the anti-Trump protest. Cincinnati police told me this was the only rally-related fight or arrest they were aware of. pic.twitter.com/tFqtCm8b98
— Sarah Walsh (@sarahbellewalsh) August 2, 2019
Trump held his first rally last night since the controversial "Send her back!" chants directed at Somali-born congresswoman Ilhan Omar in a North Carolina rally last month.
As the crowds cheered the president on with cheers of "USA" and "Build the wall", Trump told them at one point he wanted "no controversy."
"We want no controversy," he quipped as the arena cheered for him.
During his speech, Trump injected some hits at the "Squad" -- the four freshmen congresswomen Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib, Ayanna Pressley and Ilhan Omar - and Congressman Elijah Cummings.
"The Democratic Party is now being led by four left-wing extremists who reject everything that we hold dear," he said.
Trump later said America's inner cities have paid a huge price for the liberal left, most likely referring to Cummings, who has been in the president's crosshairs this past week.