Latest
TPUSA reporter attacked at ICE protest warns a dark new line has been crossed in America’s political wars
A conservative reporter who was assaulted while covering an anti-ICE protest in Minneapolis said she is determined to see those responsible held accountable, warning that the attack reflects a broader threat to free speech.
“This is not a right-wing issue,” Frontlines TPUSA reporter Savanah Hernandez told Fox News Digital. “These people are just violent extremists who have been getting away with lawlessness for far too long and they think that this is how they’re allowed to operate now.”
Hernandez was covering a protest outside the Whipple Federal Building on April 11 when demonstrators surrounded her after learning she was affiliated with Turning Point USA, the conservative organization founded by Charlie Kirk.
She said she told protesters she was there only to observe and record, but the situation escalated after a protester identified as William Kelly began “violently screaming” at her, drawing more attention from the crowd.
PASTOR SPEAKS OUT ON HARROWING CHURCH INVASION THAT SENT CONGREGANTS FLEEING IN TERROR
Kelly, who goes by the online name “DaWokeFarmer,” has been involved in several anti-ICE protests around the country and faced charges for his alleged role in storming a church in St. Paul in January.
Kelly denied he was violent in videos posted to social media after the incident and said he was exercising his First Amendment right to protest.
Hernandez said protesters blew horns in her face, yelled obscenities and waved adult novelty products in front of her as she tried to shield herself.
She alleged that local activist Christopher Ostroushko came up behind her, pushed her and screamed in her ear, while his daughter, Paige Ostroushko, blew a whistle in her ear. Hernandez said that despite repeated attempts to leave, she was blocked and attacked multiple times.
FOR YOUNG TPUSA FAITH EVENT ATTENDEES, MINNESOTA CHURCH STORMING IS A SACRED LINE CROSSED
“She pushes me down again. Her mom then comes and accuses me of hitting her daughter and then her mom decides to come and try to attack me,” Hernandez said. “I’m still walking out at this point and I’m telling them, do not touch me. The father then comes down and violently slams me to the ground from behind. I get back up again and the first thing I see is Paige back in front of me. And at that point I was like, okay, I guess I’m going to have to fight my way out of this crowd because they’re not letting me leave.”
After what she estimated were four or five separate attacks, Hernandez said a deputy stepped in and escorted her to a police vehicle for protection. She said she suffered minor injuries.
Hernandez said the episode was especially jarring because, in her view, it crossed a line that should never be crossed.
“There is an aspect that or a threshold that has been passed now,” she said. “Typically in the United States, typically in the West… it’s a basic common thing that men don’t attack women that are unarmed and not touching them. So a threshold has been passed with that and that was why this was so jarring to me.”
Hernandez said the incident was not the first time she had been assaulted while covering protests and that she now plans to travel with security.
“The left wing has been the biggest proponent of violence and silencing the voice of their opposition. This is nothing new, and it is an attack on our First Amendment rights,” she told Fox News Digital. “These people are just violent extremists who have been getting away with lawlessness for far too long, and they think that this is how they’re allowed to operate now.”
JOURNALIST ATTACKED DURING MINNEAPOLIS BLOCKADE SAYS ANTI-ICE AGITATORS TRIED TO ‘DETER’ THE TRUTH
Hernandez intends to pursue accountability not only for herself, but for journalists more broadly.
“I want full charges brought forward in every single way, shape or form,” Hernandez said.
“This isn’t just about me,” she continued. “It doesn’t matter if you are on the right or the left, they are going to attack you because they do not want to be filmed committing criminal activity… and I hope that the administration understands that and uses the full force of the law to bring forth justice.”
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon confirmed on X that the FBI has opened an investigation into the assault on Hernandez.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE
The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office told Fox News Digital that the case remains under investigation and that it recommended charges Monday against Paige Marie Ostroushko, Lorenzo Amadeo Garcia and Christopher Ostroushko in connection with the assault of a journalist.
The office also said separately, another suspect would separately be charged for striking a deputy with a train horn.
The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office told Fox News Digital it had received three case submissions on Monday, and they are “currently under review for potential charging.”
Attempts were made to contact Paige Marie Ostroushko, Lorenzo Amadeo Garcia, Christopher Ostroushko and William Kelly for comment.
Latest
Former UCLA gynecologist sentenced after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting patients at school
A former doctor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), was sentenced to 11 years in prison Tuesday, after he was accused of sexually assaulting his patients as an obstetrician-gynecologist at the school.
James Heaps, 69, pleaded guilty to 13 counts, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced in a news release, including six felony counts of sexual penetration of an unconscious person, five felony counts of sexual battery by fraud, and two felony counts of sexual exploitation of a patient.
Throughout his 35-year career at UCLA, the university spent nearly $700 million to settle civil claims made against him.
He will also be required to register as a sex offender for life.
APPEALS COURT OVERTURNS CONVICTION OF UCLA GYNECOLOGIST OVER ISSUE AT TRIAL
Heaps’s plea comes after an appeals court in California determined he was denied a fair trial in 2023 due to concerns that one juror did not speak enough English to adequately carry out their responsibilities.
At the time, his attorney, Leonard Levine, told The Associated Press that, “justice is slow, but it’s finally been done.”
“I believe it’s just a matter of time before he is totally exonerated,” he added.
Levine did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Prosecutors, however, framed the outcome differently.
“Today marks the second time that we’re holding James Heaps responsible for the unconscionable crimes he committed while being entrusted with the safety of his patients,” Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said, according to the release.
“For years, Heaps exploited the sacred trust between a doctor and patient to prey on vulnerable victims during medical procedures. This sentence ensures that Heaps will finally be held accountable for the harm he inflicted under the guise of care. To the survivors: I hope today brings you closure knowing that the individual who violated your trust has been definitively brought to justice. To all survivors, please know that we believe you and we will fight for you.”
The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
In 2023, the doctor’s former patients claimed he groped them, made suggestive comments, or conducted unnecessarily invasive exams at the college’s student health center, the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, or in his campus office.
The women who filed lawsuits against Heaps claimed the school ignored their comments and allowed the abuse to continue.
Fox News Digital’s Greg Normand-Diamond contributed to this report.
Latest
Colorado highway descends into chaos after massive 75-vehicle pileup, amid hazardous winter weather
At least 75 vehicles were ensnared in a massive, chain-reaction pileup on a Colorado highway Tuesday, authorities said.
The crashes unfolded in the Rocky Mountains west of Denver, specifically near Loveland Ski Area, and followed a chaotic morning that saw six separate wrecks, mostly along the same highway, according to the Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Office.
Officials said the latest crash forced a two-way lane shutdown on Interstate 70, as photos released by the authorities showed emergency crews assisting drivers at the scene.
“The closure is due to a severe multi-vehicle crash on the east side of Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel that took place this afternoon,” the Colorado Department of Transportation (CODOT) said. “There is currently no estimated time for reopening.”
DRIVER HOPS CURB, STRIKES 9 STUDENTS DURING AFTER SCHOOL PICKUP IN IOWA
According to the photos, the crashes appeared to have occurred on a snow-blanketed roadway, as winter weather may have created hazardous driving conditions in the mountain corridor.
The area near Loveland Ski Area has also long been known as a major bottleneck on I-70, particularly as ski traffic converges with Denver-area commuters during the spring season.
Officials have not yet reported any injuries.
Earlier in the day, officials reported six crashes during the morning hours, with some involving single vehicles and others multi-vehicle collisions. Five of the crashes occurred on I-70 westbound near mile marker 221, with another reported on U.S. Highway 40.
The sheriff’s office indicated that all of those earlier incidents had been cleared before the major 75-vehicle pileup unfolded nearby on I-70 eastbound near mile marker 216.
An hour later, the authorities shut down both lanes of the highway.
“Due to the severity of the crash, drivers approaching the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel should expect to be turned around for the next several hours,” CODOT said.
“Bottom line, we need folks to slow down, increase following distance, and make it to their destination safely,” the sheriff’s office said.
Colorado State Patrol is leading the crash investigation.
Utah reality star Taylor Frankie Paul will not face new domestic violence charges, according to the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s office.
According to People, prosecutors claimed on Tuesday that they will not be pressing additional charges against Paul. In February, two Utah police departments opened separate domestic violence investigations involving Paul and her ex-boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen.
Per the outlet, the press release stated that the incident happened more than two years ago, placing them outside the statute of limitations.
Mortensen had also reported to police that Paul had scratched him during an explosive fight in February, while Paul claimed she was not the aggressor during that incident. The District Attorney’s office noted that any additional domestic violence claims lacked “sufficient evidence to support filing criminal charges.”
Paul previously pleaded guilty to assaulting Mortensen in 2023, which meant any new charges would have violated her parole.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Paul and Mortensen for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.
On March 25, authorities in West Jordan, Utah, told Fox News Digital that they were investigating allegations of domestic violence against Paul stemming from an incident in 2024, brought by her ex-boyfriend.
“The West Jordan Police Department is currently investigating an incident involving Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen. The allegations were reported at the end of February 2026, and detectives have reviewed video believed to have been recorded in early to mid-2024,” authorities confirmed.
Police were reviewing multiple videos tied to the alleged altercation to determine details and timelines.
“Investigators are actively working to gather and verify information and are in the process of interviewing those involved. At this time, no charges have been filed, as the investigation remains ongoing.”
Police in Draper, Utah, confirmed with Fox News Digital that a separate domestic violence investigation involving both Paul and Mortensen had been opened, with allegations on both sides having been reported on Feb. 24 and Feb. 25.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER
Due to the domestic violence incident resurfacing, Paul’s season of “The Bachelorette” was canceled.
A spokesperson for Paul previously told Fox News Digital, following the cancellation of her season of “The Bachelorette,” “Taylor is very grateful for ABC’s support as she prioritizes her family’s safety and security. After years of silently suffering extensive mental and physical abuse as well as threats of retaliation, Taylor is finally gaining the strength to face her accuser and taking steps to ensure that she and her children are protected from any further harm.”
LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
“There are too many women who are suffering in silence as they survive aggressive, jealous ex-partners who refuse to let them move on with their lives,” the spokesperson continued. “Taylor has remained silent out of fear of further abuse, retaliation, and public shaming. She is currently exploring all of her options, seeking support, and preparing to own and share her story.”
The first domestic violence incident resulted in charges against Paul, who pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in August 2023. Video of the incident was shared earlier this month by TMZ, and soon after, ABC announced that it would not be airing Paul’s season of “The Bachelorette.”
Production on Season 5 of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” has also reportedly been halted following the resurfaced incident.
Fox News Digital’s Stephanie Giang-Paunon contributed to this report.
Clavicular Reportedly Rushed To Hospital For Seemingly Overdosing While Livestreaming
Breitbart Business Digest: Party Boats in the Gulf of America — Could Trump’s Strait Blockade Lead to Golden Era of American Energy Production?
Waltz: Iran Has Radicals, But We ‘Think We’re Dealing with Some Rational Actors’ Who ‘Have to Deal With the Ayatollahs’
All Hell Breaks Loose On Fox When Jesse Watters Asks Fetterman One Question
Melania Gets Huge Surprise 24 Hours After Making Epstein Announcement
Pentagon targets Iran-linked militias in Iraq as Hegseth vows ‘we will finish this’ for fallen US troops
-
News5 days agoAll Hell Breaks Loose On Fox When Jesse Watters Asks Fetterman One Question
-
Latest5 days agoMelania Gets Huge Surprise 24 Hours After Making Epstein Announcement
-
Politics4 weeks agoPentagon targets Iran-linked militias in Iraq as Hegseth vows ‘we will finish this’ for fallen US troops -
News4 weeks agoInside Joe Kent’s abrupt fall as GOP backlash grows over antisemitism accusations, FBI probe
-
Latest13 hours agoVance Leaves Meeting, Looks Straight Into Camera, Announces Stunning Arrest
-
News3 weeks agoTop Democrat Arrested By Capitol Police – Dragged Out In Handcuffs
-
News5 days agoTucker Carlson Makes Trump Immediately Regret Publicly Attacking Him
-
Entertainment9 years ago9 Celebrities who have spoken out about being photoshopped