Man wearing Maga hat charged with attempted murder after allegedly slashing man with sword

'The suspect drew a sword and cut the victim’s left hand before running from the scene,' say police

The MAGA hat has become a prominent emblem of Donald Trump’s presidency – with critics of the president seeing the hats as synonymous with the administration’s perceived racism and xenophobia (REUTERS/Carlo Allegri)

A man has been accused of slashing someone with a sword after his “Make America Great Again” (Maga) hat was knocked off his head.

Leor Bergland allegedly whipped out the weapon almost severed Gabriel Gaucin's hand. The pair had been arguing outside a roller skating rink in the Californian city of San Francisco when Mr Gaucin knocked off Mr Bergland's hat, police said.

"The suspect drew a sword and cut the victim’s left hand before running from the scene,” the San Francisco Police Department said. “The victim and a witness initially chased the suspect until he turned and began advancing towards them. They ended their pursuit and suspect fled the area.”

After Mr Gaucin pushed the hat to the ground, Mr Bergland allegedly “reached back, as if to punch the victim, but instead quickly brought his hand down, holding what the victim thought was an umbrella or nightstick”.

Officers had staked out Mr Bergland's residence and committed “round the clock” surveillance in a bid to arrest him, police said.

He has been charged with attempted murder, mayhem and assault with a deadly weapon.

A catchphrase used by Donald Trump throughout his presidential campaign and since taking office, some see Maga as synonymous with the administration’s perceived racism and xenophobia.

David Miles, owner of the Church of 8 Wheels roller-skating rink shared an image on Facebook showing the red hat next to a pool of blood outside the establishment.

Prosecutors described it as “one of the most gruesome photos of an assault I’ve ever seen”.

Mr Gaucin endured a partially severed hand and was transported to a nearby hospital for emergency surgery.

Officials said a witness to the slashing reportedly attempted to chase the assailant before he disappeared into a nearby park. Police are then reported to have seized the red hat and a beer bottle the suspect had been seen drinking from at the scene.

Prosecutors said a sword wrapped in a red plaid vest was found poking out of a dustbin two days later - with officials later matching a fingerprint from the beer bottle and arresting Mr Bergland.

“No one has a right to strike someone with a sword because their hat was knocked off their head,” Alex Bastian, a spokesman for the district attorney’s office, told the San Francisco Chronicle. “Those are the allegations in this case and those things will be figured out in court.”

The defendant told police he was home at the time of the incident and stated: “What do you have on me, nothing ’cause I didn’t do it,” prosecutors said.

He did not enter a plea during his court appearance, and his bail was set at $250,000.