Leftists go berserk at protest, surround and smash up car — and it turns out driver has cerebral palsy

Eldon Hawkins is 58 years old and has cerebral palsy, the Columbus Dispatch reported.

Image source: WBNS-TV video screenshot

On the evening of May 31, he drove to get dinner and flowers and ended up in the middle of a protest in downtown Columbus, Ohio, WBNS-TV said.

What happened next?

"I was at the intersection, and I got the green light. I was trying to toot my horn, thinking, 'Hey guys, look at the light,'" Hawkins told the station.

He was blocked — and video of the incident shows he tried backing up his car and hit a person on a bicycle with the rear bumper.

"He tried to get away from the situation and in doing so he accidentally struck — and I emphasize accidentally struck — an individual on a bike," witness Phillip Hurst told WBNS.

Video shows the bicyclist, who didn't fall to the ground, quickly began beating on Hawkins' car — and a bunch of other left-wing George Floyd protesters followed suit and swarmed the vehicle.

Image source: WBNS-TV video screenshot

"They threw a bicycle on my windshield and started kicking my doors and windows," Hawkins said during last week's city council meeting, the Dispatch reported. "It scared the life out of me."

'I thought they were going to kill me'

The video shows rioting protesters jumping on his red Buick, throwing objects at it, and smashing out its windows; at one point the trunk popped open, and protesters grabbed and tossed its contents.

"I thought they were going to kill me," he added to WBNS.

Image source: WBNS-TV video screenshot

Hawkins said there were "some nice people who came and pulled me out of the car" and took him to the curb, the Dispatch reported.

Police told WSYX-TV that the protesters also acted violently toward those who tried help him and stop the violence.

"Reacted with a lot of anger and hate until soon after they realized this gentleman is handicapped," Hurst added to WBNS.

CPD Looking For Persons Of Interest Involving Victim With CP Who Was Attacked During Riots, 5/31/20.youtu.be

Indeed, video shows things soon calmed down as more people took control and prevented further damage to the vehicle. Hawkins said police towed his car to his house, and it cost him $8,129.29 to repair the damage, the Dispatch reported.

WBNS said his church and some people at the protest raised money to help him cover some of the costs.

"It's one thing to protest, but when people start breaking windows and spray painting the F-word, that's turning this beautiful city into a dive," Hawkins also said at the city council meeting, the paper added.

Hawkins said his father was a union man, and he remembers once marching with his dad in a show of solidarity with the Fraternal Order of Police and the firefighters union during a protest at the Statehouse, the Dispatch reported.

"We did not break one window, and we did not spray-paint foul language, because this is our city," Hawkins added, the paper noted. "If troublemakers don't like it, they can leave."

He told WBNS, "I think it's a horrible shame. People can protest, and we all have that right, there is a right and wrong way to do it."

Now what?

Columbus police are asking for help in identifying those responsible for damaging Hawkins' car and stealing items from it, WBNS said.

Those who have information or other videos of what happened can contact Columbus police Detective Steven Nace at snace@columbuspolice.org or 614-645-2119. People also may leave anonymous tips through Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-TIPS (8477).

(H/T: WesternJournal)