Woman Punches Retired NYPD Detective Because Of His ‘Birthday Hat’

Note: we are republishing this story, which originally made the news in February 2020.

While celebrating his birthday at a Nashville venue, retired NYPD Detective Daniel Sprague was punched in the face by a woman upset with his red “Make Fifty Great Again” hat. The hat, a gift from his wife, was paired with a patriotic shirt.

Sprague said he was grabbed from behind and hit unexpectedly. Both were removed from the venue, and Sprague later filed a police report but didn’t retaliate. He noted that most people gave him positive or neutral reactions until they saw his hat.

Despite his support for Trump, Sprague emphasized respect for differing opinions and said he wouldn’t respond violently to others’ political views.

He shared the incident and photos of his injury on Facebook before deleting the post.