WASHINGTON ― Local police in Ohio on Tuesday encouraged a woman protester who was repeatedly punched by a follower of President Donald Trump at his Monday night rally to file a complaint and launch a criminal investigation.

“No one should be assaulted at an event,” said Youngstown Police Lt. Frank Rutherford. “If you punch somebody in the face, you should get in trouble for that. That’s wrong.”

The woman, whose identity is not known to HuffPost, was repeatedly punched by a balding rallygoer in a dark T-shirt as a television camera recorded the attack. The video shows deputies from the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office approach, restrain the assault victim and escort her out of the Covelli Center arena but allow her assailant to remain at the rally.

The protester was wearing a T-shirt with the words “RELEASE THE EPSTEIN FILES” and lifted her arms with middle fingers raised before being led off.

It is unclear what happened prior to the camera panning over to catch the punches, whether, for example, the woman had physically struck her attacker first or whether she was only verbally insulting Trump and his supporters.

Trump watched the entire scene play out in front of him. Instead of telling his followers to stop hitting the woman, he insulted and mocked her instead.

“He’s a paid protester. They’re all paid. They get paid by the lefties in order to destroy our country. They’re scum. But he’s going back home to mom. Going back home to mom,” he said. “He’s a fat guy. Wow. Wow. Got to go on a diet fast.”

The White House did not respond to HuffPost queries about why Trump did not try to stop the assault as it was happening.

In Ohio, as in most jurisdictions, punching someone is considered assault. The charge, misdemeanor or felony, and the attendant penalties depend on the perpetrator’s intent and severity of the attack.

Mahoning County Sheriff’s spokesman Gerry Ricciutti said the deputies may not have seen the entire altercation and did not make any arrests, including the protester they removed. “They were just walked out of the building,” he said.

Because the arena is located inside of Youngstown, any arrest and prosecution of an alleged crime would he handled by the city police and prosecutor.

“If you know the victim, have her make a police report,” Rutherford said. “If she does want to file a complaint, we will take a report, absolutely, and fully investigate.”

Trump, who earlier this year brought the ultra-bloody Ultimate Fighting Championship kick-fighting league to the White House, has been a vicarious aficionado of violence for decades.

A 1997 New Yorker profile detailed his habit of repeatedly rewatching Jean-Claude Van Damme’s “Bloodsport,” but only the parts featuring the karate-chopping and kicking. His then-teenaged son Eric was responsible for fast-forwarding through all the plot exposition and dialogue.

During his first run for president a decade ago, Trump used to encourage his rallygoers to go after protesters, with force if necessary. “Just knock the hell — I promise you, I will pay for the legal fees,” he said.

Most famously, on Jan. 6, 2021, he incited a violent attack on the U.S. Capitol that resulted in the deaths of five police officers and injuries to 140 more as part of his failed coup attempt to remain in power despite having lost the 2020 election. Upon retaking office in 2025, Trump immediately pardoned all the participants in the attack, including hundreds who had assaulted police officers.

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