Indian-American senatorial candidate Shiva Ayyadurai attacked by 'racist' opponent supporter
What's the story
An Indian-origin senatorial candidate in the US has been assaulted allegedly by a racist man who punched him in the face leaving him severely bleeding at a town hall in Massachusetts, according to media reports.
Shiva Ayyadurai, 54, who is running Independent against the powerful incumbent, Elizabeth Warren from the Democratic party, was attacked last week by one of her supporters.
Here's more.
Details
Racist attacker was wearing a T-shirt that said 'liberal'
Ayyadurai, an eminent scientist as well as an outspoken critic, was punched by a man, wearing a T-shirt which said "liberal" and a "Warren for Senate" sticker.
He approached Ayyadurai with an umbrella while he bullhorned a queue of Warren supporters outside a town hall in Great Barrington, where the Democratic Senator was scheduled to appear, according to a Boston.com report.
Warren Supporters
Solovay engaged in verbal confrontation with Ayyadurai that turned physical
Ayyadurai received a bloody lip, swelling, and abrasions.
The encounter played out as a crowd of Warren supporters waited to enter a center, the Great Barrington police stated.
The attacker, Paul Solovay, left the line, crossed Castle Street, and approached Ayyadurai.
"Solovay allegedly engaged in a verbal confrontation that became physical when he pushed the bullhorn toward the speaker, striking his mouth," police said.
Racism
This is how white privileged white supremacists react: Ayyadurai
"I was just punched in face by a racist @SenWarren supporter," Ayyadurai tweeted.
"This is how these white privileged white supremacists react. What you just witnessed is how you white supremacists react when you don't want to hear the truth from a dark-skinned Indian guy. The same guy you claim you want to help," he added.
"You guys are racists," Ayyadurai said.
Police interefere
Police placed the Warren supporter into custody
"Officers acted quickly to subdue Solovay and place him into custody," the statement released by the police said.
"We don't produce enough engineers. We don't produce enough doctors. But we do produce a bunch of scumbag lawyer lobbyists like Elizabeth Warren," Ayyadurai says in a video he tweeted just before it cuts to Solovay shouting at him from across the street.
Twitter Post
Will take punch any day for America, Free Speech: Ayyadurai
I will take a punch in the face ANY DAY for America Free Speech. We will have another ANTI-RACIST Rally against the scumbag #FakeIndian @SenWarren and her White Supremacist THUGS. JOIN US. Declare Your Independence! Stop Race War pic.twitter.com/IOtTCTzi1h
— Dr. Shiva Ayyadurai,PhD (M.I.T.) Inventor of Email (@va_shiva) July 22, 2018
Attack
Solovay can be seen pushing megaphone into Ayyadurai's face
In the video, when Solovay and Ayyadurai come face to face, the Indian-American senatorial candidate repeatedly calls Solovay a racist through the megaphone before the 74-year-old pushes it into his face.
Solovay, who was charged with assault and battery and disorderly conduct, pleaded not guilty on Monday in Southern Berkshire District Court.
The Warren supporter was released on personal recognizance.