On Tuesday, a dispute between the president of Chico State Republicans and a protester resulted in a brief physical altercation.

Michael Curry, the president of Chico State Republicans, was tabling with the organization in front of Plumas Hall when students began playing loud music across from their table in protest.

According to Chico State Police Officer Lance Conlan, the responding officer, one student protester, who has not been identified, held a sign that said “Black Trans Lives Matter.” Curry, in response, decided to stand next to the protesting student with a sign that said “All Lives Matter.”

In a video posted by the Chico State Republicans on Instagram (@chicostategop), it is shown that the protesting student forcibly takes the sign from Curry’s hand and strikes him with it in.

“After I was struck, I told my friends to call the police,” Curry said in an audio recording recalling the incident. “After she stopped yelling at me, she went and called the police herself reporting that I had ‘troubled’ her.”

“She then sat down on a bench and started crying. The police showed up, she lied down on the ground and claimed she was having a panic attack. (She) asked for the police to order an ambulance and they took her away.”

Emily Bruns, president of Chico State Democrats, said in a press release that they “do not condone any acts of violence” and clarified that the “parties involved in the altercation were in no way related to the Chico State Democrats, and are not active members of (the) club.”

“Even though we do not agree with Chico State Republicans on any policy, we can all agree that as students, we reserve the right to feel safe while going to classes,” Bruns said in the press release.

According to Officer Conlan, battery charges may be filed with the district attorney.

The incident is still under investigation and will be handled by the Department of Student Conduct, Rights, and Responsibilities, according to Officer Conlan.

Angel Ortega can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @AngelOrtegaNews.