By ORION BAKER/Managing Editor, MATEUS FERREIRA/Editor-In-Chief, ALLISON MCDOUGALD/Staff Writer, JINJER ROYCE/Staff Member
An individual was arrested Tuesday after an altercation at a TPUSA “Pick Up the Mic” event according to footage posted to X by FRONTLINES TPUSA .
President Julie Philley said in a statement that the individual was not a student and has been criminally trespassed from the University. However, a trusted source to the Talon has identified the suspect as a student named Ciro Tomlian.
Additionally, The Talon has received multiple unverified claims from students that the suspect is enrolled at UT Tyler.
“We are deeply saddened by the use of force against one of our chapter members,” said TPUSA President Jonathan Roncancio. “Despite this act, we are going to continue to move forward and have difficult conversations and encourage conservative values.”
The video posted to X shows the suspect pulling down an American flag from the TPUSA tabling display before striking a member with a cane. Another individual then tried taking the cane from the suspect before a University administrator tried to end the altercation.
“There was a lot of shouting and insults thrown, and I picked up that he most likely very much disagreed with the Turning Point and Republican ideas,” said Clayton Bock a UT Tyler Freshman. “The next thing I saw was him picking out one of the volunteers and taking his walking stick to beat the volunteer. He struck the guy on the leg with a lot of force, and the police jumped in really quickly, handcuffed him, and walked him out. It all happened very quickly.”
“Libs of TikTok,” a popular conservative social media account with nearly 5 million followers, then reposted the video.
In their post, “Libs of TikTok” said the following:
“Deranged leftist student was just ARRESTED at the University of Texas after vandalizing an American flag at a TPUSA table and then ASSAULTING people with a cane. We have a communist violence problem.”
As of publication, the post has nearly 3 million views.
“Everyone has the right to free speech, and violence will not be tolerated at this university,” said Philley.
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