A 62-year-old New Jersey man, Peter Yankowski, claims he was attacked with a crowbar for wearing a Donald Trump for President: Make America Great Again” t-shirt.
In the evening of Wednesday, August 3, Yankowski was walking along Broad Street in Bloomfield when he was stopped by an unnamed man, who the victim described as a black man, in a vehicle, questioning him about his Trump t-shirt.
Shortly after, the man allegedly cursed at him and called him “white trash.”
Yankowski said he then walked inside a nearby restaurant on 1243 Broad St. called Friendly’s in hopes that the man would drive off, but instead, he followed him.
NJ: 62-year-old man beaten with crowbar for wearing "Trump for President" shirt pic.twitter.com/0mMQw8ZPAV
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The victim said:
“Fifteen minutes later, he came back with a low-jack in his hand, daring me to come outside.”
The New Jersey man agreed to meet the man outside, but only so they could “talk this over.”
As soon as he walked outside of the restaurant, the man “swings the low-jack at me” just for wearing a “t-shirt in support of Trump’s presidential campaign.”
The victim was reportedly struck several times with a crowbar, sustaining injuries to his arms, hands, and thighs.
Bloomfield police arrived at the scene but was unable to arrest the suspect as he fled before their arrival.
Paramedics treated the victim at the scene, and he is expected to make a full recovery.
Yankowski said:
“I realize that a lot of people don’t like Trump, but I never expected anything like this, to be physically attacked.”
He has no plans in wearing the Trump t-shirt again until November.
However, a witness, – who asked to remain anonymous – challenged his story, informing Bloomfield police that the incident didn’t quite happen as Yankowski explicates.
She went on to say that after Yankowski entered the restaurant to buy ice cream, he was heard bellowing racial slurs at the suspect before a physical altercation followed.
Bloomfield police are investigating the incident.
Featured Image By Metro Polico Via Flickr Under Creative Commons.
