A tense confrontation at Washington, D.C.’s Union Station went viral this week after conservative activist Cam Higby pepper-sprayed a woman who was caught on video lunging at him and striking him with his MAGA hat. Higby says the incident proves why his “Fearless Tour,” inspired by the late Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, is needed now more than ever — to confront political hostility head-on while encouraging open and peaceful debate.

Higby and his team had stopped at Union Station on Wednesday after hosting a debate event at the University of Maryland. In an interview with Fox News Digital, he said they were quietly sitting and talking with nearby protesters when a woman approached and became combative.

“At some point, she dropped to her knees, intentionally … and she started yelling at us and started touching us,” Higby recalled. “I told her to back up and stop touching me, and she lunged at me and attacked me.”

Video footage shows the woman shoving Higby back in his chair, seizing his MAGA hat, and hitting him with it before falling into a bush — at which point Higby deployed pepper spray to stop the attack.

Higby noted he couldn’t tell if the woman was armed because she kept her hands in her pockets for much of the encounter. After being sprayed, she was seen being helped by fellow protesters, who poured water on her eyes and called the police.

While officers initially appeared unlikely to make an arrest, the situation escalated when U.S. Park Police arrived. According to Higby, the woman turned aggressive again, resisted arrest, and even assaulted officers.

“At this point now, she’s struggling with federal police, and then they tried to arrest her,” Higby said. “Her dad is yelling at us, ‘why did you spray my daughter,’ as she’s actively fighting with federal police. In my head, I’m thinking, this is why she got sprayed. It took four federal police officers to hold her down, and finally they loaded her into the back of the police car.”

Police reports listed Higby and his colleague as victims, and the woman is expected to face federal charges.

Growing Concerns About Violence Toward Conservatives

The confrontation highlights a troubling trend: the increasing threat of political violence, particularly against conservatives. In recent years, Republican candidates, activists, and everyday voters have reported intimidation and harassment, from attacks on campaign volunteers to threats at events and rallies. Several high-profile incidents — including assaults on GOP canvassers and confrontations on college campuses — have raised alarm about whether conservatives can safely express their views in public. Free speech advocates warn that political polarization, combined with media narratives that vilify right-of-center voices, may be fueling hostility and emboldening bad actors.

Despite criticism that his style provokes confrontation, Higby emphasized that his team’s approach is about debate, not violence. His group often sets up discussion tables on college campuses with signs such as “The left is violent! Let’s Debate!” — but he pointed out that at Union Station, there was no signage, and the only identifying factor was their MAGA hats.

“We want people fired up. We want people to be excited to talk about political issues, but what we don’t invite people to do is touch us, and that’s the problem,” Higby said. “I think most of my takes are pretty reasonable. That’s your problem, not my problem — if you have such low impulse control that you can’t stop yourself from using physical violence.”