Woman who was slapped at anti-Trump rally in downtown Vancouver won’t pursue charges, police say

A woman who was slapped across the face on stage at Saturday’s anti-Trump administration rally in downtown Vancouver’s Esther Short Park declined to pursue charges against the man who hit her, according to Vancouver police.

Videos circulating on social media captured the woman on the stage reaching for a microphone speakers were using, before turning and shouting at the crowd of thousands gathered to protest President Donald Trump’s policies. Shortly after, a man, wearing a T-shirt that said “I am the weapon” across the back, approached the woman and slapped her across the face.

Vancouver police officers who were at the park for the event spoke with the woman, who police spokeswoman Kim Kapp said was uncooperative. The woman refused to tell police her name and “became very adamant that she did not want any charges for the male,” Kapp said in an email to The Columbian.

Officers described the man as cooperative, and Kapp said he was escorted away from the area. Police did not arrest the man and instead wrote an informational report.

Someone claiming to be the man in a public Facebook post apologized for his actions. He described his behavior as “very rash and impulsive,” and he said he was upset because the woman was rudely interrupting the speakers.

“I regret acting on my baser instincts and apologize for my action,” he said on Facebook. “Should I ever encounter the lady, I’ll apologize to her. Hopefully, she will have the grace to forgive me.”

The Vancouver protest was one of many “Hands Off!” rallies happening across the country and in other nearby cities like Portland and Seattle. The Associated Press called the rallies the biggest day of demonstrations yet in response to many of Trump’s policies surrounding issues, such as government downsizing, the economy, immigration and human rights.