Texas university police arrest man accused of attacking Turning Point event with cane
The university says he is not a UT Tyler student and assaulted three people, while Fox News, citing booking records, names him Ciro Tomlian.
A man was arrested on Tuesday at the University of Texas at Tyler after a confrontation at a Turning Point USA "Pick Up the Mic" event. Video shows him pulling an American flag off the group's display, shouting at attendees and swinging a cane. University President Julie Philley said he is not a UT Tyler student and assaulted three people.
She said campus police responded immediately and arrested him. The university barred him from returning to campus. Turning Point USA's Frontlines said a field representative and two students were assaulted and that no injuries were reported.
Newsweek notes that this has not been independently established. Fox News, citing Smith booking records, identifies him as Ciro Tomlian, a former student not enrolled at the time. It reports he's charged twice with aggravated assault using a deadly weapon and once with assault causing bodily injury, and remains in the county jail.
Newsweek says his identity and any charges had not yet been publicly confirmed. As he was detained, the man said, "Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequences." Republican Rep. Nathaniel Moran, whose district includes Tyler, said the "does not protect assaulting people you disagree with."
- three peopleassaulted, according to the universityNewsweek
- two charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weaponfaced by the suspect, per Fox News citing booking recordsFox News
Three sides of the story
9 news outlets reported this · Little coverage from liberal outlets
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Liberal0 outlets
Outlets on this side gave the story little coverage.
Center1 outlet
An arrest and the university's response
Newsweek leads with the arrest of a man who tore down an American flag and assaulted three people at the Turning Point USA event. It relies on video circulated by the organization and on university confirmation that the man was not a student and that campus police arrested him. It walks through the footage step by step, including the man's words, 'Y'all don't deserve this.' It reports that TPUSA first called him a student, and that the group said no injuries were reported, which Newsweek notes is not yet independently established.
It quotes President Julie Philley saying 'violence will not be tolerated at this university.' It also quotes Rep. Nathaniel Moran and Texas State Rep. Daniel Alders, who thanked UT Tyler police for acting quickly. Newsweek closes by saying the suspect's identity and any specific charges had not yet been publicly confirmed.
Conservative8 outlets
An attack on conservative students, with consequences
Fox News leads with the identification of the suspect, Ciro Tomlian, from Smith County booking records, and lists the charges against him. It sets the incident beside a New Hampshire polling-place arrest of a poet accused of slapping a Turning Point Action volunteer. Breitbart's headline calls the man a 'Leftist' and its text a 'deranged man.' It lists other recent incidents involving Turning Point and includes a post from Erika Kirk about comedians mocking her husband's killing.
RedState, under 'Man Finds Out There Are Consequences,' says it 'says a lot about those people' when people on the Left go off at Turning Point tables. The New York Post calls him a 'caped nutjob' and 'wannabe wizard.' All four carry Philley's statement, and Breitbart, RedState and the Post also quote Rep. Nathaniel Moran's line that the First Amendment does not protect assault. Fox, RedState and the Post note his words 'backed into a corner.'
- Fox News: MICHAEL RUIZ: Texas police ID man charged with assault in UT Tyler Turning Point USA attack caught on video
- Breitbart News: Watch: Police Arrest Leftist for Attacking Turning Point USA Member with Cane at U. of Texas at Tyler
- RedState: Watch: Man Finds Out There Are Consequences After Allegedly Assaulting People at TP USA TX Event
- New York Post: Caped nutjob in wizard hat attacks TPUSA group at Texas university event
- Centrist outlets did not mentionNew Hampshire poll-site arrest of a man accused of slapping a Turning Point Action volunteer on Election Day Reported by Fox News, Breitbart News
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All sources: 10 articles from 9 outlets
Center (1)
Conservative (9)
- Breitbart News: Watch: Police Arrest Leftist for Attacking Turning Point USA Member with Cane at U. of Texas at Tyler
- Fox News: MICHAEL RUIZ: Texas police ID man charged with assault in UT Tyler Turning Point USA attack caught on video
- Just the News: Police identify former student arrested for assaulting TPUSA in 'wizard outfit,' using 'prop cane'
- New York Post: Caped nutjob who attacked TPUSA group at Texas university event ID’d as former student
- New York Post: Caped nutjob in wizard hat attacks TPUSA group at Texas university event
- RedState: Watch: Man Finds Out There Are Consequences After Allegedly Assaulting People at TP USA TX Event
- The Blaze: Videos capture creepy weirdo taking a swing at TPUSA members in Texas — and his immediate arrest
- The Daily Wire: WATCH: Wannabe Wizard Attacks Three At TPUSA Event, Gets Reality Check
- Townhall: University of Texas-Tyler Student Assaults Turning Point Members at Campus Event
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