N.C. State student Jack Bishop, the son of Republican congressman and HB2 author Dan Bishop, says he was assaulted by socialist “thugs” on Monday night during a confrontation with the university’s chapter of the Young Democratic Socialists of America in the university’s Free Expression Tunnel. 

As he described the incident on Twitter Tuesday: “Two dozen + socialists rolled up on us with spray paint and proceeded to spray my eyes, neck/head, and torso. These injuries required the aid of an EMS to resolve, and both criminals are still at large.”

Bishop said he filed charges for assault and property damage and asked the police to “please find these thugs and bring them to justice.”

At the time, Bishop and other members of the local chapter of Turning Point USA—an organization rife with racism—were spray-painting advertisements for Wednesday’s Charlie Kirk and Lara Trump lecture when they were approached by spray-paint-wielding members of No Hate at NC State.

Video of the incident, however, appears to be a little different than the young Bishop’s recollection. In the footage, Bishop is standing against a wall and, while smirking, moves his face into the path of another student’s spray paint, saying, “Oh yeah, that’s right. That’s about right.”

No Hate at NC State said no arrests were made by NCSU police. However, two people in the group were briefly detained, and one member was issued a conduct referral.

N.C. State Police confirmed an incident took place at the Freedom Tunnel last night but could not immediately provide details. 

Members of the university community dispute Bishop’s version of events. Student activist Dylan Smith tweeted that members of Turning Point USA were jumping between students who were spray-painting the Freedom Tunnel, instead of being “assaulted,” as Bishop claims. 

“TPUSA claimed we assaulted them after they tried to put their face between our spray paint cans and the wall and rolled their bodies in wet paint,” student Enzo Niebuhr tweeted. “They said the tunnel was their property.”

In No Hate at NC State’s statement, they said those painting intentionally avoided spraying anyone, moved to different parts of the tunnel, and “advised him to move out between the wall and the spray.”

As the INDY reported yesterday, the coalition “No Hate at State” planned to protest the Culture Wars event. 

“The incident at our campus’s free expression tunnel, which is intended to be available to everyone, not just the sons of racist congressmen, only invigorates us into action this Wednesday,” No Hate at NC State says. “We must stand against hate whenever it shows it’s head before it has time to grow and cause real physical harm to the most marginalized.”

Here’s video of the alleged assault. 

UPDATE: We’ve clarified the story to note that the group of students spray painting were part of No Hate at NC State, which includes YDSA.

Contact digital content editor Sara Pequeño at spequeno@indyweek.com. 

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3 replies on “Congressman Dan Bishop’s Son Claims He Was Assaulted By Socialist “Thugs””

  1. Disgusting ,repulsive juveniles acting like mommy and daddy. What kind of parents teach their children hate and racism ? SHAME on these power hungry, greedy white supremacist thinking they are better than others because of their skin color. Their beliefs and teachings make them most INFERIOR as choosing ignorance ultimately does. You racist hateful animals are exactly what is wrong with this country.You are traders to our free nation

  2. It’s honestly hilarious to see these failing newspapers try to spin something like assault so it fits their agenda. You are the proble with america.

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