Holly MatkinGermantown, MD – A man who legally immigrated to the United States over a decade ago from West Africa said he was violently attacked by two men on Saturday because he was wearing his “Make America Great Again” hat.
Atsu Nable said he was out for an afternoon walk in his neighborhood, when he was suddenly confronted by two men he’d never met, WTTG reported.
The men, later identified as 27-year-old Jovan Crawford and 25-year-old Scott Roberson, began yelling at him, and ordered him to take of his red “Make America Great Again” hat, Nable recounted.
Nable said he wears the hat all the time, and that he has supported the Republican party since he immigrated to the U.S. from Togo in 2007.
He has since become an American citizen, and said he has supported President Trump since before he ever took office.
He attended campaign events, and later volunteered for President Trump’s inauguration.
“I came here for freedom,” Nable told WTTG.
Nable said he told Roberson and Crawford that he was entitled to have his own political views, and that he then tried to walk away.
He was shocked when one of the men struck him from behind.
“I was like, ‘Why you doing that? You know? We don’t have to do this,’” Nable told WTTG. “They said, ‘No, no, no, no, that hat is not any good.’”
The next thing he knew, Roberson and Crawford began punching him in the head, knocking him to the ground.
During the attack, the suspects smashed Nable’s headphones, and attempted to steal his cell phone when he tried to take a photo of them.
They fled the scene as witnesses called 911, and police later found them trying to hide among a group of children who were out playing basketball.
Roberson and Crawford were arrested on multiple offenses, including second-degree assault and robbery.