Massachusetts man accused of repeatedly punching man, 77, in face at Cape Cod ‘No Kings’ rally
By Veronica Haynes, Peter Eliopoulos
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BARNSTABLE, Mass. (WCVB) — An Arlington, Massachusetts, man is facing assault and battery charges after an altercation with a 77-year-old man at a “No Kings” rally on Cape Cod on Saturday.
Peter Afouxenides, 61, was charged with assault and battery on a person older than 60 in connection with the incident that happened near the Airport Rotary in Hyannis as crowds left the rally, Barnstable police said.
According to police officers who were monitoring traffic and pedestrian flow on Route 28, they saw a blue Toyota SUV stop abruptly in the roadway and a man and woman quickly exit and walk to the rear of the vehicle.
When officers walked over to where the SUV stopped, they saw an injured man with a cardboard sign in the roadway. With the help of bystanders and a nurse, the man, later identified as Jeffrey Smith, 77, was moved out of traffic onto a grassy area.
Smith told NewsCenter 5 that he put his sign out and in an attempt to get Afouxenides to slow down after he said that he sped into the intersection.
“I’m completely defenseless,” Smith said. “The blows felt like I was getting hit by a baseball bat and I thought, this is it.”
Smith’s friend told officers the driver got out and confronted the man, saying the cardboard sign touched his vehicle. The driver, later identified as Afouxenides, then punched Smith several times in the face, according to the police report.
Cell phone video shows Afouxenides throw the sign at Smith and get back into his car.
Smith was taken to Cape Cod Hospital with facial lacerations and bruises. His glasses were also broken during the altercation, police said. When questioned by police at the hospital, Smith could recall few details about the altercation, according to the police report.
Afouxenides posted bail after his arrest and was released.
Smith said he had just one message for Afouxenides:
“I’d say shame on you. Shame on you,” Smith said.
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