Police: UW College Republicans assaulted by Antifa affiliate; group targeted for second day

Members of the University of Washington College Republicans were assaulted on campus Wednesday, and police arrested a woman affiliated with Antifa, a militant anti-facist group known for violent demonstrations.

And again on Thursday, protesters – this time not affiliated with Antifa — responded by heckling the College Republican group, damaging their banner and sitting on their table.

In the Wednesday incident, director of outreach Diodato Boucsieguez and treasurer Alex Guerrero were at a table on the patio of the Husky Union Building for several hours when a college-aged woman approached about 12:30 p.m., the UW Daily’s Olivia Madewell reported.

The table and Boucsieguez’s shirt received the bulk of the paint, paint spilled onto bricks in front of the HUB, and a student’s pants were damaged by paint, The Daily reported. The suspect had orange hair and boots and a black hoodie.

“I was just kinda spooked,” Guerrero told The Daily, who reported he compared the incident to other Antifa encounters. “They broke my girlfriend’s phone.”

University of Washington police told KIRO 7 the woman was identified and written a ticket for misdemeanor assault instead of an arrest. It was not immediately clear when she would appear in court.

Both men involved in the incident told The Daily they want to see charges and penalties for damaging property. The College Republicans were back on the HUB patio Thursday.

KIRO 7 reporter Essex Porter talked to UW police and is talking to College Republicans Thursday and will report a complete story for KIRO 7 News at 5:30 p.m. Thursday. Watch on the KIRO 7 livestream.