Poet Arrested After Allegedly Slapping Turning Point Action Member at New Hampshire Polling Place

The Laconia Police Department said officers arrested the suspect, identified as Stephen Redic, around 8 a.m. Wednesday on charges of simple assault, a misdemeanor, and disorderly conduct, a violation.

Laconia Police Chief Matthew Canfield told Fox News Digital Wednesday, We’re not familiar with him, meaning we’ve had no prior contacts. The poem was not included in a viral video of the incident.

WATCH: An older man slaps an 18-year-old Turning Point Action volunteer during a heated exchange outside a New Hampshire polling location. Video shows the man flipping off the teenager, slapping him and shouting, “F*** you,” after the volunteer tells him he hasn’t provided any… pic.twitter.com/qRee8kLhOF

— https://x.com/FoxNews/status/2118097329756492037

Polling Place Altercation

His voice grows hoarse before he shoves his finger in the victim’s face. That’s what I know, he says, before backhanding him. A few moments later, he adds, f— that s—, as he storms away. People off-camera discussed calling the police, and onlookers were audibly surprised.

Redic Faces Court Hearing

Turning Point described the victim as an 18-year-old. Redic was arrested on Wednesday morning. He has a court date scheduled for Dec. 10 for an arraignment. It was not immediately clear whether he had retained a lawyer as of Wednesday afternoon, and he did not immediately respond to an attempt to reach him.

Man slapped booth worker — Photo: wfmd.com

Poet’s Background

Redic published a book of poems in 2023, titled Tying My Shoes. In the book, he boasted of meeting every U.S. president since Dwight D. Eisenhower. The incident at the polling place comes 14 months after Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA and its affiliate Turning Point Action, was assassinated at Utah Valley University. Kirk’s accused killer, Tyler Robinson, is due in court for a hearing that could set a trial date; he has pleaded not guilty.