Scuffle Erupts at Lawmaker's Town Hall

Supporters of Democratic Rep. Katie Porter clash with protesters in California
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 12, 2021 11:50 AM CDT
Punches Thrown at Lawmaker's Town Hall
A 2018 photo of Rep. Katie Porter, a California Democrat.   (AP Photo/Chris Carlson, File)

Democratic Rep. Katie Porter held her first town hall since the pandemic over the weekend, and things didn't go as planned. As in, punches were thrown and police had to move in to quiet things down, reports CBS Los Angeles. Protesters, described as backers of former President Trump, began shouting "Carpetbagger Katie" and "Corrupt Katie Porter" as Porter spoke on Sunday about topics including climate change and COVID vaccinations, per the Hill. Her supporters began shouting back, and a physical confrontation soon broke out between members of the two groups. In the end, one Porter supporter was released on a citation by the Irvine Police Department, reports the Los Angeles Times.

“It is disappointing that a small but vocal group of attendees, who advertised a ‘confrontation rally,’ created unsafe conditions at a planned family-friendly event,” Porter said in a statement afterward. The reference was to an Instagram post by conservative Nick Taurus, who is running against Porter, that referred to her as a "far-left ideologue" and encouraged people to join him at the town hall to "CONFRONT KATIE PORTER!" The Times notes that, during the melee, Porter went into the scrum to wrap her arms around an elderly woman in protection. (More Katie Porter stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X