BENTON, Ark. (KARK) – Police in Benton, Arkansas, are investigating after an altercation at a Saline County Republican Party meeting on Thursday night.
A video taken during the meeting shows a disagreement between two women in a Q&A line as one approaches a mic at the front of the room.
The video shows what appears to be the two women bumping into each other at the mic and one of them saying, “You do not want to do that,” as she leaves the line.
The woman who left the line then walks toward the back of the room, and someone on the video shouts, “Do not threaten her!” It was not clear to whom they were referring.
A man walks from the back of the room and appears to stand with the woman who had left the line as she turns back toward the woman at the mic.
A larger man appears to stand with the woman at the mic after she turns toward the woman who had left the line. He then walks toward the first man and faces off with him. An altercation ensues between the two, resulting in the first man punching the larger man in the face.
The larger man can then be seen falling to the ground as some meeting attendees scatter and others move to break up the fight.
People on the video can be heard shouting, “Break it up!”
After the two men are separated, someone yells above the melee in the room, saying, “Motion to adjourn!” A man seen on the video standing on a raised platform at the front of the room asks for a second motion to adjourn, saying, “All in favor to end?”
Several in the room, most already standing, raise their hands and yell, “Aye!” as someone can be heard saying, “Let’s go!”
Police said the meeting disbanded peacefully after the altercation.
Benton Police Department officials said they were gathering video and witness statements before issuing any citations.
