...
By Adeola Adeosun
Weekend Night Editor
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
A 28-year-old man was arrested Friday night after allegedly assaulting Representative Maxwell Alejandro Frost, a Florida Democrat, at a private party during the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.
Christian Joel Young faces charges of aggravated burglary, assaulting an elected official, and assault following the incident at the High West Distillery, a popular venue for festival-adjacent events hosted by talent agency CAA.
Frost, the first Gen Z member of Congress and the first Afro-Cuban elected to Congress, confirmed the attack on X Saturday, stating he was punched in the face by a man who told him that President Donald Trump was going to deport him.
Read More on Politics
The Context
There are significant concerns over both racist violence and political violence in the U.S. In August of 2025, the FBI released hate crimes data, which reported that there were more than 11,000 hate crimes in 2024. Race, ethnicity, and ancestry were the single biggest bias motivators of those crimes, accounting for over half the incidents.
America continues to grapple with the issue of political violence, following the assassinations of Democratic Minnesota legislator Melissa Hortman and conservative influencer Charlie Kirk last year.
What To Know
According to the Park City Police Department, Young "unlawfully entered a private party after previously being turned away for not having an invitation." The police affidavit indicates Young allegedly crashed the party by jumping a fence and was found with a Sundance Film Festival pass not issued in his name.
Variety reported that Young, described as a Caucasian man, was in a bathroom speaking about how proud he is to be "white" before allegedly punching Frost. Beyond assaulting the congressman, Young is also accused of grabbing a woman by the shoulder during the incident.
"He was heard screaming racist remarks as he drunkenly ran off," Frost wrote on X, thanking venue security and the Park City Police Department for their assistance. "The individual was arrested and I am OK."
County Judge Richard Mrazik ordered Young held without bail, determining he would constitute "a substantial danger to any other individual or to the community, or is likely to flee the jurisdiction of the court if released on bail." Court records indicate Young has a prior misdemeanor conviction. The charges include sentencing enhancements due to the nature of the offenses.
The Sundance Film Festival released a statement strongly condemning the assault while clarifying that the incident occurred at a non-affiliated event. "While the incident occurred at a non-Festival-affiliated event, such behavior is intolerable and against our values of upholding a welcoming and inspiring environment for all our attendees," the statement read.
What People Are Saying
Representative Maxwell Frost on X: "Last night, I was assaulted by a man at Sundance Festival who told me that Trump was going to deport me before he punched me in the face. He was heard screaming racist remarks as he drunkenly ran off. The individual was arrested and I am okay. Thank you to the venue security and Park City PD for assistance on this incident."
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a New York Democrat, in a post on X: "I am horrified by the attack on Congressman Maxwell Frost. Grateful that he is OK, but appalled that this terrifying assault took place. The perpetrator must be aggressively prosecuted. Hate and political violence has no place in our country, and the entire House Democratic Caucus family stands with Maxwell."
Representative Jasmine Crockett, a Texas Democrat, in a post on X: "We’ve got your back!!!"
Representative Malcolm Kenyatta, a Pennsylvania Democrat, in a post on X: "I am grateful that you are ok @MaxwellFrostFL, but you should have never been in harms way. This is incredibly troubling and I’m pissed off with and for you!"
Representative Eric Swalwell, a California Democrat, in a post on X: "Horrified to hear about the violent, racist attack on my friend @RepMaxwellFrost. I’m glad he’s OK. Every colleague of mine needs to condemn this."
...
What Happens Next
Young will face prosecution on multiple charges with sentencing enhancements, with the case proceeding through Summit County courts.
The Sundance Film Festival has encouraged anyone with additional information to contact the Park City Police Department
Reporting from the Associated Press contributed to this article.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines