Does it count as political violence if some random parade-goer lobs a can at a sitting U.S. Senator? I think it does.

Republican Senator Ted Cruz, a Houstonian, rode on a vehicle in the victory parade for the World Champion Houston Astros on Monday. Houston Police tweeted that as the military vehicle traveled down the 2400 block of Smith Street in downtown Houston, a can was thrown, striking the senator on the chest and throat. Cruz was not injured.

HPD made one arrest during today’s victory parade. A male, 33, threw a beer can at U.S. Senator Ted Cruz as the Senator was on a float in the 2400 block of Smith St. The beer can struck the Senator in the chest/neck area. The Senator did not require medical attention.
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— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) November 7, 2022

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. 2/2

— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) November 7, 2022

Here is a good view of the attack taken by a senior front page editor at the Huffington Post.

Someone threw a beer can at Ted Cruz during the Astros parade pic.twitter.com/uEtbRP5lvh

— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) November 7, 2022

I’ve watched it several times and it’s hard to see the actual contact between the can and Cruz, though I can see the can bounce off him. It happens fast. You can see the security man reach out to stop the can and then speak into his mic as he points into the crowd, apparently at the attacker. It is reported that Cruz was being booed at the time.

In video of the incident posted to social media, boos could be heard coming from the parade crowd as Cruz was driving by in the back of a military style vehicle. A can is seen hurling towards the senator’s head and people on the vehicle attempt to shield him from the projectile.

Houston police said a suspect was arrested on suspicion of assault. The male’s name would be released later, it said.

The man who organizes the weekly protests outside the Houston office of Senator John Cornyn wonders if Cruz’s protection is warranted. He conflates Cruz and the January 6 riot. Ted Cruz was not part of the riot.

I understand the guy got arrested & there is no point in throwing anything. Is Ted Cruz under HPD surveillance for his role in the 1/6 attack at the Capitol that injured so many police officers? And killed an officer as well. Do citizens who value democracy merit public safety?

— Neil Aquino (@aquino1_neil) November 7, 2022

The 33-year-old man threw a White Claw can, not a beer can as originally reported, as Cruz confirmed.

“As always I’m thankful for the Houston Police and Capitol Police for their quick action,” Cruz said in a statement to Insider. “I’m also thankful that the clown who threw his White Claw had a noodle for an arm.”

It’s not the first time Cruz was booed as an Astros fan this season. During a play-off game at Yankee Stadium, Cruz, wearing an Astros shirt, was booed by some in the stands. As I wrote at the time, Cruz got the last laugh. The Astros won that game and then the rest is history. The Astros won the World Series. I can’t say that enough. I can’t help myself.

It’s unclear if Cruz was specifically targeted or if some guy was intoxicated and thought throwing a can at a vehicle in the victory parade was a good idea. I saw Rep. Sylvia Garcia among the people in the back of that vehicle. The important thing is no one was hurt and the guy was arrested. Political violence, whether it’s from gunfire as it was on the baseball field when Steve Scalise almost died, or an attack with a hammer as Paul Pelosi suffered, or even a White Claw can lobbed at Ted Cruz’s head, is wrong and the perpetrators have to be punished. Unstable people feel emboldened to do violent things in today’s political atmosphere.