A Trump administration staffer was physically assaulted by a "deranged leftist" within the United Nations on Thursday afternoon during the UN General Assembly, Fox News Digital covered.
The staffer, an employee in international relations for the Department of Health and Human Services, was in New York representing HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the department's leadership delegation at UNGA.
"An HHS official was trailed into a restroom, filmed, physically attacked and verbally harassed by a crazed leftist at the UN who somehow made it into the venue through several layers of security," White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly said to Fox News Digital.
"Fortunately, the official is safe, and the madman was apprehended, but this is only part of a grim and perilous series of failures by the UN following their sabotaging of President Trump before and during his address."
Kelly said that the US Secret Service would look into "how this violent protester was admitted into a major national security event." The person has been charged with assault, aggravated harassment, attempted assault, and criminal possession of a weapon, a source knowledgeable about the incident told Fox News Digital.
The suspect was released from jail Friday night and will be arraigned on November 13.
“We are outraged that a member of the US delegation was physically assaulted inside of UN Headquarters the afternoon of September 25,” a US UN spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “This attack must be addressed swiftly, and consequences must be felt.” The spokesperson added that the UN “recognizes that it has lost its way” and called the incident “unacceptable.”
The official told Fox News Digital that she was walking down a hallway when a woman started shouting derogatory and pro-Palestinian statements while holding a bright light in her face. "It was really disorienting. Once I stepped back and got my bearings again, it didn't let up. I knew what was going on. I knew I was being screamed at and that the light was also a recording device."
The attacker then pursued the official into a women's restroom, attempting to enter a stall and meanwhile continuing to film while hurling insults. Roughly 10 minutes later, the official was able to flee into the hallway. "It felt very political in nature," she said. "Secretary Kennedy receives an enormous amount of bows and arrows and threats that he addresses, but it appears to be not enough, and it is trickling down. That's a frightening thing for the team. But we're more empowered, and we have great leadership."
Fox News Digital cited that the woman was arrested by the New York City Police Department, although her status in custody currently is unknown. The NYPD and the United Nations did not reply to requests for a comment.
Earlier this week, President Donald Trump pointed out some technical issues during his visit to the UN, such as a broken escalator, failure of teleprompter, and audio problems in the auditorium. Trump has termed the incidents as "triple sabotage" and reported that he had written to the UN Secretary-General expressing his concerns and asking him to hold an investigation and check security footage.
Read also| Pakistani PM Reiterates Trump’s Op Sindoor Ceasefire Claim During White House Visit
Read also| MEA reiterates India’s stance on Kashmir after Turkey’s Erdogan raises issue at UN
