A man slapped a New York state senator and an intern after a heated exchange at a press conference for a New York City mayoral candidate Monday.
The elderly man showed up to the event held by supporters for City Council Speaker Christine Quinn to defend her attempts to save St. Vincent's Hospital.
As former State Sen. Tom Duane was speaking, the man tried to interrupt, saying "get out of here, get out of here," while threatening to slap someone.
And then he did, smacking State Sen. Brad Hoylman on the chin as he yelled "Look up!"
Duane sought to soothe the man's nerves, saying "we're all angry the hospital closed, but we're working as hard as we can to get a new hospital."
Others at the press conference tried to usher him away, and as a campaign intern put his arm on the man's shoulder, the man lashed out and smacked his face with both hands.
Holyman said in a statement "it's deplorable that some would resort to violence in an attempt to silence opinions with which they don't agree."
Local
A police report was filed on scene.
