Ohio State student arrested for attack at anti-Trump rally

COLUMBUS, OH (WOIO) - Police say an Ohio State University student shoved a man down a flight of stairs during an anti-Donald Trump rally on the Columbus campus.

University police say they arrested 24-year-old Shane Stanton on Monday and charged him with a misdemeanor count of assault after he threw himself into protester Timothy Adams and sent the man hurtling down the steps. The incident was recorded and published online by the student TV station.

Adams was giving a speech from a staircase landing in the student union building when the incident occurred shortly before 6 p.m. He wasn't seriously injured in the attack.

"I think, if anything, tonight shows that we really need to bring people into social movements, bring people into social organizations and to come out for each other and stand up for each other," Adams told the school newspaper The Lantern. "Ultimately, coming together is the only thing that's going to stop any kind of violence."

University president Michael Drake said in an email to students that OSU protects First Amendment rights actively but does not tolerate intimidation or threats to students, faculty or campus visitors.

"We witnessed a disturbing incident at a political demonstration on our campus," said Chris Davey, university spokesman, in the statement to The Lantern. "As we said last week, the safety of our students and freedom of speech are bedrock, immutable principles that are the foundation of our university."

Court records don't list an attorney for Stanton.

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