Florida U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost was assaulted while attending an event at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, Friday night, according to a statement he posted on X.
“Last night, I was assaulted by a man at Sundance Festival who told me that Trump was going to deport me before he punched me in the face. He was heard screaming racist remarks as he drunkenly ran off. The individual was arrested and I am okay. Thank you to the venue security and Park City PD for assistance on this incident,” he wrote.
Police arrested Christian Joel Young, 28, for aggravated burglary, assaulting an elected official, and assault, KUTV reported in Salt Lake City. He also allegedly assaulted a woman at the venue, the station reported, citing police documents, telling her, “You are the kind we are going to deport.”
The attack happened at the High West Distillery during a party hosted by CAA, the talent agency, Variety reported.
“We strongly condemn last night’s assault and abhor any form of violence, harassment, and hate speech.,” the Sundance Film Festival said in a statement. “While the incident occurred at a non-Festival-affiliated event, such behavior is intolerable and against our values of upholding a welcoming and inspiring environment for all our attendees. “The safety and security of our festival attendees is always our chief concern, and our thoughts are with Congressman Frost and his continued well-being.”
Frost, 29, is a Democrat elected to the House in 2022 from the 10th Congressional District, which includes most of Orlando. He is the son of a Puerto Rican mother of Lebanese descent and a Haitian father and was adopted at birth by a Cuban immigrant and her Kansas-born husband, according to his congressional page. He has made battling gun violence a signature issue and was instrumental in the creation of the the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention during the Biden Administration. President Trump shut down the office the day of his inauguration in 2025.
The Trump administration’s Department of Homeland Security has been aggressively raiding and deporting undocumented immigrants, most of them without a criminal record, across the country. The incident came amid heightened activity by federal immigration authorities, most notably in Minneapolis, Minn. On Saturday, agents killed a 37-year-old man whom officials believe was a U.S. citizen who lived in Minneapolis. Video of the shooting was captured by observers and posted to social media.
It was the third shooting by immigration officers in the city in three weeks – and the second to end in death.
–FlaglerLive and Florida Phoenix
Pogo says
@Meet Christian Joel Young
… Floriduh’s next governor.
Atwp says
Will Trump call this fake news? Will the Republicans condemn the assault or praise it on Fox News? The important thing is he is ok. I believe the lady is ok also. Why do white people think they can assault people and get away with the assault. O look at the capital insurrection some years ago, most of them were white men and they pardoned for doing wrong. Our crazy President. Am sure more white men will continue to assault people of color, there is a good chance they will be pardoned. If Trump dies while in office, who will do the pardons of the white men, just asking. I am a proud African American man, I know Trump pardoned some African Americans. He love to pardon crooks, let us face it he is a crook too. Who will pardon him, Vance?
Here we go..... says
Your whole post is racist!
wake up says
OF course it is racist! How does that feel? The black, native, Chinese, Indian (you name it) community, has been so ostracized by the white man over the centuries that it’s justice that the white community should feel crappy (to put it mildly). It’s never about an individual when it comes to minorities– it is always about the community as a whole. It is horrid! Now you have an incling of how that feels—maybe now you’ll stand up for justice–probably not, though. Talk on, Atwp! You should get what you give or stay silent on. We’re not all stupid!
Laurel says
wake up: And how does your comment about “…the white man..” not racist? Explain to me just why the “…white community should feel crappy…”? You have grouped all white people together. Is that not bigotry?
I remember a time when black people thought it was impossible for them to be prejudiced. You have proved them wrong.
Many white people have stood up for the black people’s civil rights, and many white people died in the process. I remember when integration began in south Florida schools. For me, it was around the ninth grade. It was good, it was fine, in my mind, and it was exposure to a different culture. Was everyone happy? No. I befriended a funny, smart young man, and lost a couple friends over that, but that was on them. No one dictated who my friends could be. The young, black girls were as curious about me as I was about them. That’s a good thing.
So, you can stay in your bigoted bubble, but you have absolutely no jurisdiction over how I should “feel crappy.” I don’t. Instead, I have family.
Learn something: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-47477354
JimboXYZ says
Any one else baffled at why there is no video or photo evidence at a film festival ? I reserve any opinions that I may have until there’s more evidence released, just hope this isn’t a Jussie Smollet-like incident ? This was supposedly a private party with security. There has to be surveillance cameras at that event ?
Al says
Where’s the problem? The man was only peacefully protesting and using his first amendment rights. If barging into a church is fine I’m quite sure the talent show wouldn’t be a problem either. Funny Frost is fine with ICE agents being attacked but he’s off limits. Too bad the little jerk didn’t get hit harder.
Dusty says
Alas there was no compassionate outrage from you about Laken Riley
Pierre Tristam says
It looks like Riley’s name is the talking point of the day on the propagandists’ television networks. Their sheep are bleating in chorus.
Sherry says
@dusty. . . mindless BS copied and pasted from Social Media or FOX! Do you actually “think” anymore?