Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., was assaulted at a town hall when an unhinged woman threw a beverage at him.
But we’re not talking about your run-of-the-mill left-wing radical, the woman who was arrested for the incident turned out to be a former Democratic opponent who ran for Gaetz’s seat.
The Republican congressman is a big Trump supporter and was holding a town hall Saturday in Pensacola and as Gaetz exited the Brew Ha Ha restaurant/bar, a drink is thrown at him from the crowd.
The incident was captured on video, and it’s difficult to tell if the lawmaker was hit by the beverage, but he did react to it being thrown at him, turning and pointing into the crowd.
The UK's milkshaking protests crossed the pond to Pensacola.
Florida man Matt Gaetz just got hit with a sticky icky shake after a town hall meeting.pic.twitter.com/KNeEVGutBP
— Grant Stern (@grantstern) June 1, 2019
Amanda L. Kondrat’yev, 25, was arrested and charged with battery, according to the Pensacola News Journal.
Kondrat’yev was one of several candidates running against Gaetz in 2016 before she withdrew from the race, the paper reported.
And to be sure, she is a committed zealot, being part of a local effort trying to force the removal of a cross from a city park.
More from the News Journal:
Kondrat’yev is also one of four plaintiff in a lawsuit against the city of Pensacola to force the city to remove the Bayview Park cross. The American Humanist Association’s Appignani Humanist Legal Center and the Freedom From Religion Foundation filed the suit on behalf of Kondra’yev and three other Pensacola residents. One of the complainants, David Suhor, has long pushed for local governments to end the practice of opening meetings with prayer and also has called for the cross to come down.
The practice of throwing milkshakes at conservatives is a British thing. The New York Times did its part to bring it across the pond, explaining in a recent article the practice delivers a strong visual impact that makes the target look ridiculous, once hit.
Noting that “milk has been adopted by some white supremacists as a symbol of their movement,” readers are told the trend is turning that notion on its head.
Gaetz seemed to take the incident in stride, taking to Twitter to say: “Clearly it takes more than a drink to slow down our great team. We are always thankful to the brave law enforcement officials who keep everyone safe at our events.”
Clearly it takes more than a drink to slow down our great team.
We are always thankful to the brave law enforcement officials who keep everyone safe at our events. https://t.co/njWuBquiRs
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) June 1, 2019
Gaetz’s office told The Hill that protesters who cause violence at Gaetz’ town halls can expect to be prosecuted.
“All people are invited to participate in our #OpenGaetz town hall events regardless of viewpoint,” a spokesperson said in a statement. “If anyone assaults anyone else, they can expect to be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law to ensure the security of all law-abiding participants. We continue to express our deep gratitude to the brave law enforcement officials who always keep our events and our community safe.”
The tolerant left celebrated the attack on the Trump-supporting Republican, as seen on Twitter:
Matt, happen to know where we can send bail money to? To expedite getting the woman with the pitching arm outta jail?!
This is a great story to tell her family for generations to come. pic.twitter.com/25liKX7wMP
— kαlαnà #resistance ??? (@DontBooo_Vote) June 2, 2019
You deserve more than a drink thrown at you punk!
— Terry Friis/CEO – Real Estate Developer (@terry_friis) June 2, 2019
I heard it takes three or four drinks to slow you down pic.twitter.com/0RWGsOFruw
— Devin Nunes’ cow ? (@DevinCow) June 2, 2019
Man up Princess
— Deborah Mooney (@weedobbles) June 2, 2019
I would like to buy that woman a drink to replace the one she threw at @mattgaetz https://t.co/KNZFhGc8RZ
— IreneJ (@irjohnson1) June 2, 2019
I think this is the first time the "milkshaking" anti-far right protests in Britain have crossed the pond. https://t.co/NYTXIP077H
— Joy-Ann Pro-Democracy & Masks Reid 😷 (@JoyAnnReid) June 1, 2019
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