Poet arrested after slapping teen outside Laconia polling place
Stephen Redic faces misdemeanor charges following a viral confrontation with a Turning Point Action volunteer on Wednesday morning.
By Elena Greco ·
Laconia police arrested Stephen Redic, a 70-year-old poet, on Wednesday morning after he allegedly slapped an 18-year-old Turning Point Action member in the face. The incident occurred Tuesday at a polling site located in a Laconia elementary school. Officers booked Redic around 8 a.m. on charges of simple assault, a misdemeanor, and disorderly conduct, a violation.
According to a police press release, Redic approached the Turning Point tent as he was leaving the polling place. He stated he wanted to read a poem about rich people to the volunteers. The provided video does not capture the recitation of the poem. Instead, it shows the victim attempting to debate Redic while the older man raises his voice and becomes agitated. In the footage, Redic shouts at the volunteer before giving him the middle finger. He then backhands the teen across the face and walks away.
Redic is heard asking, 'You sit there and dare to look me in the face and say I don't know anything?' His voice grows hoarse as he shoves his finger in the victim's face. He says, 'That's what I know,' before delivering the slap. Moments later, he exclaims, 'f, k that s, t,' as he storms off. People off-camera discuss calling the police, and onlookers appear audibly surprised by the exchange.
Laconia Police Chief Matthew Canfield told Fox News Digital on Wednesday that the department has no prior contacts with Redic. 'We're not familiar with him, meaning we've had no prior contacts,' Canfield said. Turning Point identified the victim as an 18-year-old.
Redic published a book of poems in 2023 titled 'Tying My Shoes.' In that work, he boasted of meeting every US president since Dwight D. Eisenhower. He did not immediately respond to attempts to reach him on Wednesday, and it was not immediately clear whether he had retained a lawyer as of Wednesday afternoon.
The confrontation occurred 14 months after Charlie Kirk was assassinated at Utah Valley University under a similar tent. Kirk founded both Turning Point USA and its affiliate, Turning Point Action. Redic is due in court on December 10 for an arraignment.
