OFF PITCH

Man Arrested for Pelting a Beer Can at Ted Cruz During Astros Parade

It capped an unpleasant parade appearance for the Texas senator.

Houston Police arrested a 33-year-old man for allegedly throwing a can of beer at Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) during the Astros’ victory parade on Thursday, capping a nasty day for the junior senator that included being incessantly booed by baseball fans.

The incident occurred as Cruz rode down Smith Street atop an open-back humvee, waving to the crowd of thousands who were celebrating their team’s 2022 World Series win.

Clips showed the crowd jeering Cruz, throwing their thumbs down or their middle fingers up, and screaming “fuck you, Ted!”

Then, according to a string of videos posted to Twitter, a can of beer is seen flying over the crowd, causing Cruz to flinch away before a member of his security detail reaches over and blocks the beverage from hitting the senator.

While footage appeared to show that Cruz was not hit, Houston Police said in a tweet that the can “struck the Senator in the chest/neck area.”

“The Senator did not require medical attention,” the PD said. “Nearby HPD officers arrested the male without further incident. He was taken to jail and faces assault charges. We will release the suspect's name and booking photo here when formal charges are filed.”

“Who thought it was a good idea to have [Texas Lt. Gov.] Dan Patrick and Ted Cruz in the Astros parade?,” questioned one viewer on Twitter. “Assholes just gotta put some stink in everything.”

Monday’s championship parade isn’t the first sports event that Cruz has been taunted at. Last month, he faced hundreds of scornful Yankees fans during their own World Series game, with videos captured some attendees calling Cruz a “racist piece of shit.”

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Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling

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