A black immigrant from West Africa was beaten up Saturday by two black men in Germantown, Maryland, because the victim was wearing a red Donald Trump “Make America Great Again” hat, police say.
The victim, Atsu Nable, is a legal immigrant from Togo and he supports President Donald Trump. But the two alleged attackers were apparently incensed by the victim’s Trump hat.
According to ABC 7, the man was punched in the head and upper body and his hat taken away from him.
The Montgomery County Police Department said in a Monday press release that the beaten man, “who was wearing a red, Make America Great Again hat, was approached by two men who began harassing the victim and asking why he was wearing the MAGA hat.”
“The victim told the suspects that he was entitled to his own views and kept walking away from the suspects. The suspects began striking the victim and telling him to take the hat off. The victim continued to be struck by the suspects until he fell to the ground. The suspects then removed property from the victim and destroyed items of value. The suspects then fled the scene,” the statement added.
“I was like, ‘Why are you doing this?’” Nable said, according to Fox 5. “They said, ‘No, the hat,’ and they started punching me on my head.”
It was not long before police arrested two suspects identified as Jovan Crawford, 27, and Scott Roberson, 25.
The victim noted that he hopes the Democrats can “become more tolerant of opposing viewpoints.”
Crawford was charged with robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, attempted theft $100 to under $1500, 2nd Degree Assault, and malicious destruction of property.
Roberson was hit with robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, attempted theft $100 to under $1500, and 2nd Degree Assault.
Each suspect could receive as much as ten years in prison if convicted.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston.
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