A man was arrested on Friday after allegedly hitting Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) during a party at the Sundance Film Festival, hosted by the Creative Artists Agency (CAA).
On Saturday, Frost described the incident as a racially motivated attack.
“Last night at Sundance, a man assaulted me and claimed he would deport me before punching me in the face,” Frost stated in a post on X.
Frost, who made history as the first Gen Z representative and the first Afro-Cuban to be elected to Congress in 2022, further remarked, “As he stumbled away, I could hear him shouting racist comments. He was arrested, but I’m okay.”
“Thanks to the venue security and the Park City police for their help with this incident,” the 29-year-old congressman added in his post.
In a follow-up message a few hours later, Frost reassured his followers, saying, “I’m fine. I appreciate all the support. We’re in a scary time. Stay safe, and don’t let these people silence you. Keep moving forward.”
Reports indicated that the arrest occurred at CAA’s Sundance party after a racist outburst in the restroom of the High West Saloon in Park City, Utah. Sources suggested that the man made disturbing comments about his pride in being white before punching Frost.
Following the attack, security quickly apprehended the assailant, who had reportedly disrupted the event. The individual was subsequently taken into custody.
The Sundance Film Festival issued a statement condemning the assault, expressing that they abhor all forms of violence, harassment, and hate speech, as noted by Variety.
“While this incident took place at an event not directly affiliated with the festival, such behavior is entirely unacceptable and contradicts our commitment to creating a welcoming environment for all attendees,” Sundance stated.
The festival further emphasized, “The safety of our festival-goers is our priority, and our thoughts are with Congressman Frost regarding his well-being.”
Sundance also encouraged anyone with information about the incident to contact the Park City Police Department.
The next Sundance Film Festival is set to run from January 22nd to February 1st in Park City and Salt Lake City.
