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WATCH: Trump Supporter Attacked By Angry Liberal At Beachside Protest

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2 months ago

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A Massachusetts man has been arrested after attacking a Trump supporter dressed in an inflatable costume of the former president during a politically charged protest on the state’s North Shore. Authorities say 36-year-old Michael Curll was taken into custody on charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon following the Saturday confrontation at King’s Beach in Swampscott — a popular seaside town just north of Boston.

According to police and witness accounts, the victim, identified as Jonathan Silveira of Peabody, had shown up to the “No Kings” protest wearing a large inflatable Donald Trump costume and carrying an American flag. As he walked along the beach, Curll lunged toward him, grabbing his legs and wrapping his arms around the victim’s neck before tackling him to the ground.

Video footage recorded by Silveira’s girlfriend appears to show the moment of impact, with bystanders shouting as the two men fell onto the pavement. Police quickly responded and broke up the scuffle.

Curll was charged and arraigned Monday, where he pleaded not guilty to the assault charge. He was released on personal recognizance and ordered to stay away from Silveira, as well as attend therapy sessions while awaiting further court proceedings. The next hearing is reportedly scheduled for December.

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The incident has drawn attention far beyond Swampscott because of its political backdrop. The “No Kings” demonstration was organized by an activist group but became a magnet for political expression on both sides. The sight of an inflatable Trump suit drew cheers from some and anger from others before the altercation broke out. Silveira said he was shocked that his lighthearted costume led to violence.

Curll’s attorney argued in court that the scuffle was “mutual,” claiming that Silveira struck first with a metal flagpole — a claim the victim denies. Prosecutors, citing the video evidence, said Curll’s actions were “completely unprovoked.”

“He came up behind me and kicked me,” Silveira told WHDH. “I lost my balance and I felt the pressure, but it was more like a push. That’s when I hit the pole. Then he kind of grabbed the railing, so I couldn’t get away or get off him. He was trying to get me to go to the ground, and I wasn’t going to the ground.”

Curll previously claimed that Silveira was the aggressor, saying the altercation began when he was struck in the face with a flagpole, which left him with a black eye. “I am the victim, look at my eye,” Curll said. “I got hit in the head with the flag.”

Silveira, however, offered a different account. “I had the flag in my hand and he kept trying to bump me, so maybe that way,” Silveira said. “I wasn’t trying to hit nobody.” While prosecutors requested cash bail for Curll, the judge decided to release him under conditions that he avoid the victim and attend therapy sessions.

“I didn’t go after anybody,” Curll said. “He came after me. He hit me in the head with the flag.” When asked what he hoped would happen to Curll, Silveira responded, “That [the] justice system goes through the process, I don’t want anything more, anything less.”

Police records and media reports indicate that Curll has faced other legal issues in the past, including unrelated assault and drug charges in Massachusetts and Connecticut.

The attack has renewed concerns about the growing hostility between political opponents in public spaces. The Swampscott Police Department confirmed that the case remains open as prosecutors review the footage and statements from multiple witnesses. Curll’s next court appearance is expected in December in Lynn District Court, where he will face a formal hearing on the assault and battery charge.

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