Man charged with hate crime for attack on pro-Trump rally organizer in San Francisco

The San Francisco Police Department has arrested a suspect on hate crime charges for allegedly attacking the organizer of a pro-Trump free speech rally over the weekend.

Adora Anderson, 35, was arrested on Sunday and booked on charges of mayhem and hate crime enhancement, according to a police statement.

The assault allegedly occurred before the start of the rally at the city’s United Nations Plaza. The victim told officers that he had been punched in the face by an unknown suspect, causing him to lose two teeth.

Video of the incident appeared to circulate on social media, and a GoFundMe account to help him repair his teeth raised more than $30,700 as of Tuesday. 

Philip Anderson, a free speech rally leader, punched by counter protester and pushed back into barricaded area at UN Plaza in SF. Rally has not started yet. #ProudBoys #SanFrancisco pic.twitter.com/NcNopIyDAX

— Denis Ivan Perez (@dpi_19) October 17, 2020

Philip Anderson says his “free speech rally” is canceled, he claims he was attacked before the event. Speakers were shouted down by a large group of counter-protesters. https://t.co/O49E8GRH2x pic.twitter.com/hcuQgZ2e02

— Cornell Barnard (@CornellBarnard) October 17, 2020

Here’s the moment that Trump supporter Philip Anderson was sucker punched by someone in black clothing and mask, presumably Antifa. You can see tooth flying. SFPD investigating; those tattoos are distinctive. Anderson organized free speech rally today, to protest Twitter bans. pic.twitter.com/IMdXWc8ECk

— Dan Noyes (@dannoyes) October 18, 2020

Philip Anderson, the organizer of the event, identified himself as the victim and posted photos to social media of his bloody mouth with a front tooth missing and another hanging loosely. He said anti-fascist protesters attacked him “for no reason,” according to ABC 7 News.

However, Twitter has since suspended his account.

His group, Team Save America, organized the event near Twitter’s Market Street headquarters to protest the social media platform’s policies against hate speech and fake political news.

Protesters wore red “Make America Great Again” Trump campaign hats and carried pro-police items, according to a report from The Associated Press.

Attendance by members of the far-right Proud Boys group was promoted by organizers, but they reportedly did not come. 

Within minutes of the rally starting, counterprotesters began throwing glass bottles, plastic bottles filled with an unknown liquid, metal cans and eggs, according to a police statement.

Law enforcement said the opposing demonstrators rushed the barricade line to try and knock it over.

“The rally became so violent in nature it was declared a public safety hazard and was shut down,” San Francisco police said in statement. “The rally organizer and participants were escorted from the area. As officers escorted rally participants from the area, opposition protesters continued to act aggressively.”

Three San Francisco police officers sustained non-life threatening injuries when they were hit with pepper spray and caustic chemicals, according to the statement. One officer was taken to the hospital for treatment.