Washington: Cameron Higby, a conservative political commentator and journalist, was physically attacked on October 1, 2025, at Union Station in Washington, D.C., while conducting a solo free speech event inspired by the late Charlie Kirk. The incident, captured on video and widely shared online, shows Higby deploying mace in self-defence after a woman lunged at him during a debate-style interaction.

Higby was seated at a table with a “Make America Great Again” hat and a sign reading “The left is violent! Let’s talk,” engaging in a public dialogue on political violence and free speech. A woman, whom Higby identified as “Taylor” in a post on X (formerly Twitter), approached and suddenly attacked him, causing him to fall from his chair. Higby stated he issued at least four verbal warnings before using mace to defend himself.

After the assault, “Taylor” resisted arrest, fought with law enforcement, and made threats before being taken into custody. Multiple police units, including the U.S. Park Service, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and FBI, responded to the scene.

The attack occurred less than a month after the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk on September 10, 2025, during an event at Utah Valley University. Higby’s event was part of a “Stand for Truth - Empowering Free Speech Debate!” campaign, modelled after Kirk’s public engagements, which has drawn both support and hostility.

The incident sparked widespread outrage online, with many condemning what they describe as escalating leftist violence. Prominent figures like Senator Mike Lee shared the video, calling it a “violent attack” on a civil debater. Critics argue that such incidents reflect a broader trend of political aggression targeting conservative voices on public platforms.

This is not the first time Higby has been targeted. In June 2025, he was assaulted at an anti-ICE rally in Seattle, where Jeremy Lawson punched him in the head, causing a concussion. Lawson was later arrested and charged with third-degree assault. Higby claimed Lawson had continued to harass him online, even sending a text implying knowledge of his residence.

In September 2025, Higby was confronted by trans activist Alex Randall (known online as “SquidTips”) at the University of Washington, where Randall ripped one of his signs and called for “mutual combat” in a heated exchange. Randall later issued an apology video, acknowledging that his actions did not align with his values.