fan punched by Social Distortion’s Mike Ness says it was over Trump comment

Ohana Festival 2017 - Friday
Social Distortion at Ohana Fest 2017 (more by Samantha Saturday)

A video of Social Distortion‘s Mike Ness confronting and punching a heckler at the band’s July 19 show at Ace of Spades in Sacramento, CA surfaced last week, and now the heckler is speaking out. Tim Hildebrand of Galt, CA spoke with CBS Sacramento about the incident; according to him, he was attacked for disagreeing with Ness’s politics. Hildebrand, a Republican and Trump supporter, told CBS he was given “two black eyes, a busted lip, a concussion,” and nearly had a tooth knocked out by Ness. Hildebrand continued, “I wasn’t able to defend myself because people in the crowd were holding me back.”

According to Hildebrand, he didn’t like it when Ness “started badmouthing President Trump and America.” He told CBS, “I stood pretty much with my silent protest with my middle finger up for the next two songs.”

CBS continues:

Ness didn’t like that and in the video, you can see him motion Hildebrand to the stage, where the singer spits in his face. Hildebrand says the two were yelling at each other when Ness lunged toward him.

“Takes his guitar off, jumps off the stage and proceeds to punch me multiple times in the head.”

Hildebrand says he was dragged out of the venue by security and filed a police report with officers who were standing outside. He plans to press charges.

“Someone that has the status that he does shouldn’t get away with assaulting someone.”

“I pretty much said I paid for your music, not your politics,” Hildebrand also said of Ness.

The incident is under investigation by Sacramento police. Social Distortion’s manager told CBS that the band had no comment.