A Republican candidate in Massachusetts‘ Seventh Congressional District is going viral after she was filmed brawling two women following a pro-Trump rally.
Rayla Campbell, who is challenging Democratic incumbent U.S. Representative Ayanna Pressley, claimed on Monday, October 12, that she was assaulted by two women after she left the New Bedford rally.
Campbell posted to her official campaign page a detail of the attack, which she says left her with a fractured tibia.
“Two individuals, both female, physically confronted and then assaulted me,” Campbell wrote. “I got kicked in the head and have a fractured tibia. I’m sore, that is all.”
Campbell, the Chair of Black Voices for Trump in Massachusetts, told Fox News that a woman drove in front of her car as she was walking through a parking lot after the rally. She added that the “driver and passenger began to verbally assault her” Fox said.
A fight ensued when the women stepped out of the car and “started pushing Campbell” and “tried to take her microphone,” the congressional hopeful continued, the outlet reported.
But a recent viral video capturing the encounter suggests that Campbell might have played a larger role in instigating the fight.
Here’s what you need to know:
The Video Was Shared by a Popular Twitter Account & Has Been Viewed Over 30k Times
Fifty Shades of Whey, a popular Twitter account, shared the roughly 2 minute clip on October 14 with the caption, “Pro-Trump candidate in Massachusetts antagonizes & fights 2 young ladies. Crazy megaphone lady is Rayla Campbell, who is running against Rep. @AyannaPressley.”
The video shows a woman who appears to be Campbell — wearing the same clothes the candidate was sporting at the rally — approaching a red car in a parking lot. She shouts through a megaphone as the driver and passenger step out of the vehicle.
When the driver tries to push the megaphone away, Campbell shouts, “You want to go?” the video shows.
The driver in the clip then responds, “I’ll f— you up.”
The man filming the incident, who appears to be backing up Campbell, taunts the driver, telling her and the passenger to go back to eating “tide pods.”
At one point, Campbell again puts the megaphone in the driver’s face, who attempts to push it away by shoving the candidate back.
Campbell then asks “You want to f—ing do this?” before a tussle ensues. Campbells is seen wrestling with the two women on the ground.
Campbell Has Filed a Complaint With New Bedford Police
According to the Taunton Daily Gazette, Campbell filed a complaint with the New Bedford Police, claiming she was assaulted by the two women and left with a broken tibia.
The authorities are currently investigating the situation, the outlet continued.
“We responded to an incident and are in the process of conducting an investigation. If the investigation supports the violation of any criminal law, we will initiate criminal proceedings,” Communications Director Melissa Batchilder told South Coast Today.
“Please note that this investigation is ongoing and we will have more information later today. We strongly encourage all those participating in political rallies to be mindful and respectful of all views.”
Campbell has not commented on the matter on any of her social media accounts.
Campbell Is Running as a Write-in Candidate After Failing to Gather Enough Signatures
WBSM reported that Campbell is running as a write-in candidate after she failed to garner enough signatures to put her name on the September 1 primary ballot.
The station noted that she previously sued Secretary of State William Galvin “over the COVID-era reduced signature threshold of 1,000, saying the threshold should be lower in her district. On appeal, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court on July 13 ruled against her.”
The Court acknowledged that the virus did affect communities of color disproportionately, but declined to change its ruling, WBSM said.
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