PULLMAN, Wash. (Diya TV) — A Washington State University (WSU) political science instructor and another university employee are facing misdemeanor assault charges after allegedly attacking a student in February over his support for President Donald Trump.

WSU junior Jay Sani says he was assaulted while walking home with takeout near The Coug, a popular bar in Pullman’s historic College Hill district, after an encounter with instructor Patrick Mahoney and university employee Gerald Hoff. Sani, a Republican and active member of the conservative group Turning Point USA, was wearing a red “Trump 2024: Take America Back” hat at the time of the attack.

Surveillance footage from the night of the incident shows Sani being ambushed outside The Coug, leaving him with multiple bruises and scrapes. According to a report by The Discovery Institute’s Jonathan Choe, Mahoney allegedly snatched the hat from Sani’s head and taunted him, saying, “Go get it, b***h,” before punching him repeatedly. Hoff allegedly kicked Sani and helped slam him to the ground.

Police arrested Mahoney and Hoff within hours on nearby Colorado Street. Both men admitted their roles during interviews with Pullman Police. Mahoney acknowledged he grabbed the hat and provoked Sani, telling officers he knew Sani was a “right-wing dude” and claimed Sani “got what’s coming to him.” Hoff confirmed to police, “We did grab him and threw him to the ground,” but downplayed the seriousness of the attack.

Despite their admissions, Pullman Police determined the assault did not meet the criteria for a hate crime or politically motivated attack under state law, though Sani believes the red MAGA hat was the clear trigger for the confrontation.

Sani said he did not know Hoff but had a tense history with Mahoney, who teaches freshman-level political science and is a self-described far-left activist. Mahoney’s political leanings are visible, including in his official university portrait, where he wears a hammer and sickle pin — a symbol of communism. According to Choe’s reporting, Mahoney has also participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations, including a recent effort urging the Pullman City Council to adopt a ceasefire resolution in the ongoing Israel- Hamas conflict. The council ultimately rejected the proposal.

Following the incident, WSU placed Mahoney on temporary suspension from both his classes and teaching responsibilities, though the university has declined to comment further on the case. Sani has since raised concerns that Mahoney might soon return to his teaching position.

“He really shouldn’t be teaching here in my opinion,” Sani told The Discovery Institute. “Because you know, if you can’t tolerate different opinions… then what’s the point?”

The incident has heightened tensions on campus ahead of a scheduled Turning Point USA event featuring conservative commentator Charlie Kirk on April 17.

Both Mahoney and Hoff are facing fourth-degree assault charges, a misdemeanor under Washington state law. Court proceedings are expected to unfold in the coming weeks.

For now, Sani says he hopes the university will take a firm stand against violence over political disagreements.

“If people can’t have a simple conversation without throwing punches,” he said, “then what does that say about the state of our universities?”