Teenage Political Volunteer Slapped at New Hampshire Polling Place
On November 3, the volunteer was working at a booth for Turning Point Action outside Woodland Heights School in Laconia when an older man confronted him. Video of the exchange shows the man arguing with the 18-year-old, raising his middle finger and striking him across the face before walking away.
The argument began when the older man objected to the volunteer suggesting he had not offered statistics to support his position. The volunteer remained calm in the footage as the man shouted and cursed at him.
Laconia police responded to the polling site shortly after 3 p.m. following a report of an assault. Police Chief Matt Canfield said officers are investigating and plan to interview the man, who has been identified but not publicly named. Canfield said it was unclear whether the volunteer intends to press charges.
The Belknap County Republican Committee and the county Democratic Committee both condemned political violence. Turning Point Action shared the video online, saying the teenager had been assaulted at the polls. The organization is the advocacy arm of Turning Point USA, a conservative youth group.
Political Violence Must Not Become Another Partisan Weapon
A political argument outside Woodland Heights School ended with an 18-year-old Turning Point Action volunteer being slapped. Video shows an older man raising his middle finger and striking the volunteer before walking away. The incident took place in Laconia on November 3.
The footage shows the volunteer calmly challenging the man to provide statistics as the argument escalated. That exchange does not excuse an assault, and political disagreement cannot be answered with a blow. Turning Point Action posted the video, describing the teenager as having been assaulted at the polls.
Laconia police responded shortly after 3 p.m. to a report of an assault. Police Chief Matt Canfield said officers are investigating and intend to interview the man, who has been identified but not publicly named. Whether the volunteer plans to press charges remains unclear.
The Belknap County Democratic and Republican committees both condemned political violence. That shared statement is the appropriate standard: the same basic right to participate in democracy applies to people across political divides. Treating an assault as proof of collective guilt would only deepen the division the incident exposed.
A Volunteer Was Slapped at the Polls; Police Must Follow Through
An 18-year-old conservative activist worked at a booth for Turning Point Action outside Woodland Heights School when an older man argued with him, raised his middle finger and slapped him. The incident in Laconia happened on November 3, and video captured the encounter.
The volunteer stayed calm in the footage as the man shouted and cursed. No political disagreement gives anyone a license to strike a person at an election site. Turning Point Action shared the video and said the teenager had been assaulted at the polls.
Laconia police responded shortly after 3 p.m. to a report of an assault. Chief Matt Canfield said police are investigating and plan to interview the man, who has been identified but not publicly named. It remains unclear whether the volunteer will press charges.
Both the Belknap County Republican and Democratic committees condemned political violence. That condemnation matters, but the incident also calls for a clear police response: voters and volunteers should be able to take part in election activity without being hit. Turning Point Action’s account should not be turned into a blanket accusation against everyone on the left; the investigation concerns one identified man.
Reported by Daily Mail US, New York Post, Raw Story, The Daily Caller, Twitchy, Breitbart.
