Footage out of South Carolina shows the moment a poll worker assaulted a man after he was told to remove a hat bearing a pro-Trump political slogan.
The incident happened at an early voting location in Orangeburg County on Wednesday, with video shot by a witness showing a masked poll worker getting into a heated altercation over the man’s camouflage “Let’s Go Brandon” hat.
Video shows the man attempting to hand his ID to a poll worker, who refuses to take it, telling him he can’t vote while wearing the political attire.
A Trump voter was assaulted by South Carolina polling station workers during an argument over his MAGA hat. This comes just one day after Biden called half the country “garbage” and no one in Kamala’s campaign disavowed it. pic.twitter.com/rFJ93mNDpk
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) October 31, 2024
The man then takes off his hat and tosses it back toward the line of people waiting to vote, saying something to the poll worker that prompts her to slap him.
“CNN reports that a poll worker is accused of assault and battery in the case after she appeared to hit the man in the face with her hand,” according to WYFF.
Orangeburg police reportedly cited the female poll worker for assault and battery, but did not arrest her.
Despite the woman’s charges, Orangeburg Sheriff Leroy Ravenell released a statement claiming he’d work to keep poll workers safe:
“The safety and security of all citizens, regardless of political affiliation, is paramount to me. As public servants, it is our desire that everyone has the freedom to exercise their right to vote free of intimidation and fear, along with our poll workers being able to do their civic duty free of violence and harassment. I, along with my team, have developed a plan to make sure there is a visible presence around the county beginning tomorrow throughout November 5th as our county goes to the polls. The increased presence will allow us to have an expedited response for calls of service by Poll Managers should they arise.”
South Carolina Election Commissions spokesman John Michael Catalano said there are laws in the state governing what political attire can be worn to polling places.
“Our state law prohibits a person from displaying any kind of campaign literature within 500 feet of an entrance of a polling place,” Catalano told WLTX. “So campaign materials, really anything that advertises a candidate or a political party, things like caps, pins, buttons, shirts, signs … Any sort of campaign literature that is supporting or opposing a certain political party or candidate is considered to be campaign material.”
The Orangeburg County Voter Registration and Elections Office is reportedly investigating the incident.