PARK CITY, Utah — Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., said he was “punched in the face” on Friday while at the Sundance Film Festival by a man who allegedly told him President Donald Trump was going to deport him.
The incident occurred at a party hosted by the agency CAA, a source with knowledge of the event told NBC News. The uninvited guest, who appeared to be drunk, made racist comments to the congressman in the restroom, followed him out of the lavatory and punched him, according to the source.
Security swiftly removed the alleged assailant from the party, which was attended by more than 100 filmmakers, agents and executives, the source said.
Police officers responded to a report of an assault at High West Saloon on Friday and determined that a man had unlawfully entered a private party after previously having been turned away for not having an invitation, said Danielle Snelson, a community outreach lieutenant with the Park City Police Department.
Once inside, “the man assaulted Florida Congressman Maxwell Frost and a female” who was also at the event, Snelson said in an email Saturday.
The man was arrested and booked into the Summit County Jail on two counts each of simple assault and aggravated burglary, with each charge subject to a sentencing enhancement, the lieutenant said.
The Park City Police Department did not provide a copy of the arrest report when asked by NBC News.
In a post on X linking to a report from Variety about the incident, Frost, 29, said the man “was heard screaming racist remarks as he drunkenly ran off.”
“The individual was arrested and I am okay,” Frost added. “Thank you to the venue security and Park City PD for assistance on this incident.”
A representative for the film festival said “we strongly condemn last night’s assault and abhor any form of violence, harassment, and hate speech.”
“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 Sundance spokesperson said in a statement. “The safety and security of our festival goers remains our chief concern, and our thoughts are with Congressman Frost and his continued well-being.”
In a post on X, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said he was “horrified by the attack” and called for the alleged attacker to be “aggressively prosecuted.”
“Hate and political violence has no place in our country, and the entire House Democratic Caucus family stands with Maxwell,” Jeffries said.
Frost wrote a second post on X thanking people for an outpouring of support.
“We are in scary times,” he wrote. “Please stay safe and do not let these people silence you. Onwards.”
