# New Hampshire Police Arrest a 70-Year-Old Poet After Video Shows Him Slapping an 18-Year-Old Turning Point Action Member Outside a Polling Place, Fox News Reports

Laconia police say Stephen Redic was arrested Wednesday on simple assault and disorderly conduct charges. Turning Point describes the victim as 18. He is due in court Dec. 10, and police say they had no prior contact with him.

- Section: [Border & Security](https://rightnewsrightnow.com/border-security/)
- Published: 2026-11-05
- By: RightNewsRightNow Staff
- Canonical page: https://rightnewsrightnow.com/articles/laconia-new-hampshire-poet-stephen-redic-arrested-slapping-turning-point-action-member-polling-place-fox-news/

A viral clip from Election Day in New Hampshire has led to an arrest, Fox News reports.

The arrest. The Laconia Police Department says officers arrested Stephen Redic, 70, at about 8 a.m. Wednesday. He faces a misdemeanor simple assault charge and a disorderly conduct violation. Police Chief Matthew Canfield told Fox News Digital the department had "no prior contacts" with him.

What police say happened. Police say Redic stopped at the Turning Point tent outside a Laconia elementary school where people were voting, as he was leaving, and wanted to read a poem about rich people. The poem is not in the video.

The video. Fox says it shows the young man trying to debate while Redic raises his voice and gets angrier. Redic is heard saying, "You sit there and dare to look me in the face and say I don't know anything?" He gives the middle finger, backhands the man across the face and walks away. People off camera discuss calling police, and onlookers sound surprised. Turning Point describes the victim as 18.

The suspect. Fox says Redic published a book of poems in 2023, "Tying My Shoes," in which he boasted of meeting every U.S. president since Dwight Eisenhower. It says he did not respond to its attempt to reach him, and it was not clear whether he had a lawyer.

The calendar. Redic is due in court for an arraignment on Dec. 10. These are charges, not findings.

The context. Fox notes the slap came 14 months after Charlie Kirk was assassinated at Utah Valley University under a similar tent. His accused killer, Tyler Robinson, has pleaded not guilty and is due in court Monday for a hearing that could set a trial date.

Why it matters here. Turning Point has had volunteers confronted at campus and polling events, and we have covered other incidents. This one drew a quick arrest. Whether more charges follow is up to prosecutors.

What we could not check. We read Fox's report and did not watch the video. The account of why Redic approached is the police department's. We have not seen the charging documents.

## Source

Original reporting: [Fox News (Michael Ruiz)](https://www.foxnews.com/us/michael-ruiz-video-shows-polling-place-attack-turning-point-member-poet-arrested)