Just days after a North Dakota man admitted to killing an 18-year-old because he was a Republican, supporters of the ultra-progressive Democratic group known as The Squad, attacked a group of Republicans holding a vigil in Boston on Sept. 24.
The attack, which appears to be unprovoked, was caught on video and released to The Epoch Times.
One of the men attacked was Donnie Palmer, the Republican nominee looking to unseat U.S. Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, a member of The Squad.
Pressley, along with Congresswomen Alexandria Oscar-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, and Cori Bush of Missouri—all of whom make up The Squad—were holding a sold-out event inside the Somerville Theatre when some of their supporters allegedly attacked Palmer and other men with him.
At least one of the men was hospitalized from the injuries he sustained from the attack and can be seen in the video laying on the ground and bleeding.
“These people are despicable and they are terrorists,” said Palmer, who accused Pressley of sending the men “to shut us up.”
Pressley’s office did not return multiple phone calls made by The Epoch Times about the incident.
Palmer said he is outraged that no one in the Democratic party or liberal media is talking about the death of 18-year-old Cayler Ellingson, killed last week by 41-year-old Shannon Brandt.
According to police reports, Brandt admitted to killing Ellingson after deciding he was a member of a “Republican extremist group.”
Brandt, who admitted to getting in his car, seeking out Ellingson, and then running over him, told police he was afraid the 18-year-old was coming to get him.
“If this was a black kid killed by a white cop it would be all over the news,” said Palmer, who is black.
The violence against Palmer and the others broke out as Dr Ibram Kendi, author of the book “How to Be an Antiracist” was hosting The Squad event.
Jim Lyons, chairman of the Massachusetts Republican Party attended the vigil for Ellingson earlier in the day. He told The Epoch Times that he is outraged by the double standards behind the way Ellingson’s death is being handled.
Shortly after admitting to killing Ellingson, Brandt was released on bail.
“It is an absolute outrage that the people on Jan. 6 are still in jail and this man is already free,” said Lyons, referring to people arrested last year outside the Capitol in what Democrats refer to as the “Insurrection.”
“What we’re seeing nationally and now we’re seeing in Massachusetts is selective enforcement of our laws. If this was a Biden supporter, it would be a national story; everyone would be talking about it.”
In one of the attacks caught on video from this weekend, two men can be seen rushing the group as they stood on the sidewalk outside The Squad event and then throwing hard punches at Palmer and the other men.
Palmer, a former heavyweight boxing champion who stands 6' 9", can be seen subduing one of the attackers by holding him in a body lock.
In another video, four men, some with their faces covered fully with black masks, jump another Ellingson supporter, later identified as Shawn Nelson, pummeling him to the ground.
Nelson, who was holding an American flag when he was attacked, can be seen in the video bleeding from his wounds he suffered during the assault.
Palmer identified him as a gay black Republican and a friend.
Two of the men who jumped Nelson were arrested by Somerville police. Palmer said the other men ran away.
In the video, the men accused Nelson of putting his hands on a city hall clerk in Somerville. According to Palmer, Nelson grabbed the woman’s hand to get his cell phone back after she ripped it out of his hands.
Palmer said the clerk is part of Pressley’s campaign and identified her in photos of her posing with Pressley and all the other members of The Squad.
According to Lyons, before the attack The Squad discussed the referendum efforts he led to revoke a new state law granting driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants living in Massachusetts.
Volunteers who were collecting the signatures needed to put the debate to a ballot vote in November were also violently attacked. Agitators also flipped over tables and ripped up ballots.
“It’s a very frightening time in America,” said Lyons.
Palmer said he is planning to coordinate another vigil for Ellingson in Boston.
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