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70-year-old poet busted for backhanding Turning Point Action teen at the polls in viral footage
New Hampshire police arrested poet Stephen Redic, 70, after he allegedly slapped a Turning Point Action member outside a polling place in Laconia. The incident, captured in a widely shared video, has drawn attention because it involved a political group campaigning at a school where voters were casting ballots.
Police said Redic approached the group’s tent as he was leaving and wanted to read a poem about rich people. The video shows him arguing with the member, whom Turning Point identified as 18, before slapping him and walking away. Redic faces misdemeanor simple assault and disorderly conduct charges and is due in court on 10 December; it was not clear whether he had a lawyer.
In short
- Stephen Redic was arrested after an alleged slap outside a Laconia polling place.
- Video shows an argument before the 70-year-old allegedly struck an 18-year-old.
- He faces simple assault and disorderly conduct charges.
Explained simply
Turning Point Action is a US political organisation that campaigns for conservative candidates and causes. Its members sometimes canvass or set up tables near polling places, where voters go to cast ballots.
In the United States, rules about campaigning near polling places vary by state and are intended to keep voting accessible and free from pressure. New Hampshire is holding local and national elections during a closely watched period in US politics, so disputes involving campaign activity can attract wider attention. Simple assault and disorderly conduct are criminal charges; an arrest or charge is an allegation, and guilt is decided by a court.
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