A man was beaten and robbed on Saturday on Cottage Garden Drive in Germantown, police say the victim was targeted because he was wearing a red Make America Great Again hat, which is the iconic hat worn by supporters of President Donald Trump.

Montgomery County Police have arrested two men in connection with the attack and robbery.

According to police, the victim, wearing a red MAGA hat, was walking in the area of the 1800 block of Cottage Garden Drive, which is off Great Seneca Highway near Northwest High School in Germantown. He approached by two men who began harassing the victim and asking why he was wearing the MAGA hat. The victim told the suspects that he was entitled to his own views and kept walking away from the suspects. The suspects began striking the victim and telling him to take the hat off. The victim continued to be struck by the suspects until he fell to the ground. The suspects then removed property from the victim, and destroyed items of value. The suspects then fled the scene, said police.

Officers from the MCPD’s 5th District in Germantown have arrested two men; Jovan Crawford, 27 of the 700 block of Clopper Road in Germantown, and Scott Duncan Roberson, 25, of the 1600 block of V Street, NW, in Washington D.C.

Officers from the 5th District responded to the area to assist the victim and search for the suspects, said police. Officers spotted the two suspects attempting to hide among a group of children playing basketball. The suspects were taken into custody and transported to the Central Processing Unit.

Crawford and Roberson were both charged with 2nd Degree Assault, Conspiracy to Commit Robbery, Attempted Theft. While Crawford faces and additional charge of Malicious Destruction of Property.

File photo by Germantown Pulse. Photos courtesy MCPD