Authorities reportedly arrested a supporter of Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) for allegedly assaulting Warren’s challenger in the U.S. Senate race in Massachusetts.
Police arrested Paul Solovay, 74, on Sunday for allegedly shoving a bullhorn in U.S. Senate candidate Shiva Ayyadurai’s face, giving him a fat lip, the Berkshire Eagle reported.
Ayyadurai, who is running for Senate as an independent, was shouting at Warren supporters lined up to see the Democratic Massachusetts senator speak at a town-hall style event in Great Barrington, 135 miles from Boston.
“We don’t produce enough engineers. We don’t produce enough doctors. What we do is produce a bunch of s—bag lawyer lobbyists like Elizabeth Warren,” Ayyadurai shouted towards the crowd, according to a video of the rally posted on Facebook.
Ayyadurai was talking about racism when the 74-year-old man allegedly confronted the Senate candidate.
Ayyadurai responded by chanting “racist, racist, racist” when Solovay shoved the bullhorn into his face.
Ayyadurai supporters then tackled Solovay to the ground before police officers handcuffed the suspect.
“That’s racism right there,” Ayyadurai said as police arrested the suspect.
The candidate then yelled what happens when left-wing “white supremacists react” to messages they disagree with coming from a “dark-skinned Indian guy.”
“What you just witnessed is how you white supremacists react when you don’t want to hear the truth. I’m a dark-skinned Indian guy — the same guy you claim you want to help,” Ayyadurai said towards the end of the video.
Police charged Solovay with counts of assault and battery and disorderly conduct. Solovay pleaded not guilty to the charges on Monday, and was released on his own recognizance.
The candidate suffered minor injuries to his face and went to the hospital later to be treated for abrasions and swelling before being released.
CNN’s Chris Cuomo dismissed the attack on Ayyadurai on Sunday, questioning whether the attack really happened as shown.
Ayyadurai furiously responded to Cuomo’s speculative tweet, daring the CNN host to speak with him about the attack that left him bleeding from his face.
The primary elections in Massachusetts for U.S. Senate are scheduled for September 4.
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