Vaccine Critic Cited After Pushing Sen. Richard Pan Near California State Capitol

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Police have cited an anti-vaccine advocate for assaulting Senator Richard Pan in Sacramento in an incident all caught on video.

The incident happened on L Street near the California State Capitol on Wednesday. Austin Bennett filmed himself on Facebook live confronting Senator Pan as he was walking.

Bennett can be heard questioning Pan, apparently taking issue over the state senator’s push to curtail vaccine exemptions.

As Pan continues to walk, Bennett eventually shoves the senator.

#BREAKING Sacramento Police cite and release anti-vaccine advocate for misdemeanor assault on @DrPanMD on L Street. Dr. Pan not hurt. 54-yr-old Kenneth Austin Bennett facing charge.

— stevelarge (@largesteven) August 21, 2019

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“I probably shouldn’t have done that,” Bennett says in the video.

Still, Bennett didn’t shy away from admitting that he pushed the senator.

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“Yes, I pushed Richard Pan for lying, laughing at us and for treason,” Bennett wrote in his caption for the video on Facebook.

Sacramento police cited and released Bennett for misdemeanor assault.

Bennett was one of some 70 people who filed a petition to recall Senator Pan earlier in the year, according to BallotPedia.org. He also ran as a write-in candidate against Senator Pan in 2018, but only got 530 votes (0.3 percent).