A 33-year-old Florida woman faces multiple charges after allegedly assaulting a 72-year-old man wearing a “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) hat at a local park. The incident underscores escalating tensions surrounding political expression in public spaces.
According to the Largo Police Department, Laura Garrett approached the elderly man at Northeast Park and Paw Place to discuss his support for President Donald Trump. The conversation escalated, leading Garrett to pour a can of liquid on the man’s head and strike him with it. Despite her denial of the physical assault, witnesses and the arrest report confirmed the attack.
After the incident, Garrett fled the scene by jumping a fence. Officers later located her, during which she resisted arrest by dropping to the ground and wrapping her legs around an officer, causing him to fall and bruise his knee. This led to an additional charge of battery on a law enforcement officer.
Garrett was booked into the Pinellas County Jail on Tuesday evening and released the following night. She faces charges of battery on a person over 65, battery on a law enforcement officer, and resisting arrest without violence.
This incident highlights the increasing hostility faced by individuals expressing political beliefs, particularly those supporting conservative figures.
