A 19-year-old man was arrested and charged with assault and harassment for accosting an 81-year-old man wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat at a New Jersey supermarket, police said.
The elderly man bought groceries and was leaving the store on Feb. 25 when he was confronted by Ryan Salvagno about the “MAGA” hat he was wearing, Somerset County Prosecutor Michael Robertson said in a press release.
“As the victim turned to walk away, defendant Salvagno was able to grab the victim’s hat and the two struggled for sole possession of the hat. Salvagno then took the victim by the arm and threw him to the ground, tipping over the victim’s cart of groceries and ultimately throwing the hat to the side,” Robertson stated.
When Franklin Police Department officers arrived on the scene, they found the man suffering from minor injuries, the prosecutor’s office said.
81-year-old Trump supporter assaulted over his MAGA hat https://t.co/TLP7qS1hzx pic.twitter.com/ROrKBHQxgT
— New York Post (@nypost) February 26, 2019
New Jersey teen arrested for allegedly assaulting 81-year-old man over “MAGA” hat https://t.co/qHgTpMhsvb pic.twitter.com/Skcxi8zPWN
— The Hill (@thehill) February 28, 2019
He declined medical attention.
An investigation led to Salvagno. A picture of the suspect was not immediately made available.
Charges against Salvagno were filed in the Franklin Township Municipal Court and the teen is scheduled for a March 14 arraignment.
Anyone with information on what happened was asked to call the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit at (908) 231-7100 or the Franklin Township Police Department at (732) 873-5533.
The “Make America Great Again” hats, known as “MAGA” hats, are worn by supporters of President Donald Trump, who has been known to wear one himself at times. Trump used the phrase as his slogan throughout his presidential campaign and still refers to it to motivate Americans and gain support for his initiatives.
Man Assaulted, Woman Facing Deportation
A woman who was recently exposed on a video assaulting a man wearing a MAGA hat turned out to be an illegal alien who is now facing deportation.
Rosaine Santos, 41, was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and assault and battery after assaulting Bryton Turner, 23, at a restaurant in Falmouth, Massachusetts.
Footage recorded by Turner showed Santos clearly knocking the hat off of his head. Witnesses said she also hit him while being escorted out of the restaurant by police officers.
Santos pleaded not guilty and was released pending trial but she was detained on Tuesday by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after agents discovered that she’s an illegal alien.
