Giuliani slapped by supermarket employee, police say

Olafimihan Oshin
·2 min read
39

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) was attacked by an employee at a Staten Island, N.Y., supermarket on Sunday, according to authorities.

The New York Police Department (NYPD) confirmed to The Hill on Sunday that Giuliani was slapped in the “mid-back” at a ShopRite while on the campaign trail for his son Andrew Giuliani’s gubernatorial campaign.

“All of a sudden, I feel this, ‘Bam!’ on my back,” Giuliani told the New York Post, adding that he nearly fell down from the blow.

“All of a sudden, I hear this guy say, ‘You’re a f—— scumbag,’ then he moves away so nobody can grab him, ” he added.

The 39-year-old ShopRite employee was detained after the incident, according to the NYPD. The Post reported he is facing a second-degree assault charge for assaulting a person over the age of 65 years old.

Andrew Giuliani’s campaign released a statement on the incident, saying “Innocent people are attacked in today’s New York all of the time.”

“This particular incident hit very close to home. The assault on my father, America’s Mayor, was over politics. We will not be intimidated by left wing attacks. As governor I will stand up for law and order so that New Yorkers feel safe again.”

Both the Post and The New York Times quoted Giuliani saying the attack appeared to be motivated by the Supreme Court’s decision on Friday to overturn Roe v. Wade.

“The one thing he said that was political was ‘you’re going to kill women, you’re going to kill women,’” Giuliani told the Times, decrying politically motivated violence.

“This has to stop. This is getting ridiculous,” he added. “I’ve been in politics 50 years, I’ve never been attacked like this.”

Giuliani has been a central figure in the ongoing public hearings on the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, having played a key role in efforts to overturn President Biden’s election victory.

Trump aides testified that the former mayor was visibly drunk on the night of the election, claims that Giuliani has denied.

Updated: 9:39 p.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.