Police say a Texas man punched an election worker who told him to take off his Trump hat at a voting site

On Friday, a sheriff said a Texas man who was wearing a hat and supporting former President Donald Trump punched an election worker who told him that wearing items supporting the candidate was prohibited at voting sites.

Officials said the election worker, identified as a 69-year-old man, was treated at the scene Thursday and returned to his voting station at the San Antonio library on Friday. The suspect was arrested on suspicion of assault on an elderly person and may face additional charges, said Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar.

The alleged assault occurred at the end of the first week of early voting in Texas, where long lines formed outside some polling places.

Both the sheriff and the county elections administrator urged voters to remain calm and patient during sometimes long waits to vote in what they called a contentious election.

“Fortunately, there was nothing life-threatening, but it was still an unpleasant incident,” Salazar said.

The suspect, identified as Jesse Lutzenberger, remained in jail Friday evening, according to Bexar County records. There was no mention of a lawyer in jail records, and a telephone number for Lutzenberger’s home could not immediately be found Friday.

Under Texas law, wearing clothing for or against a candidate at the polls is prohibited because it is considered electioneering. An arrest affidavit says Lutzenberger allegedly entered the polling place wearing a red “MAGA or TRUMP” baseball cap.

According to Salazar, after being told he had to remove his hat at the voting site, Lutzenberger did so and proceeded to cast his vote. He then put his hat back on before leaving and was then told by the clerk to take his hat off again while inside the building.

Salazar claims that as the clerk was escorting him from the library, Lutzenberger allegedly elbowed or shouldered him and then turned to punch him repeatedly in the face.

Jacque Callanen, Bexar County elections administrator, said the official was assisted by emergency medical services at the scene.

Salazar said there have been “several” cases in which voters wore prohibited clothing or caps at polling places but then took them off after state law was explained to them.

“There’s nothing here that’s worth getting hurt and going to jail for,” he said.