ABOVE: HN file images of Peter Afouxenides at his Oct. 20, 2025, arraignment in Barnstable District Court.

BARNSTABLE, MASSACHUSETTS – Peter Afouxenides, the 61-year-old Arlington man charged with battering a 77-year-old protester at Hyannis’s Airport Rotary last October, changed his plea in Barnstable District Court this August from not guilty to an admission of sufficient facts. The felony assault-and-battery case was continued without a finding (CWOF) until August 11, 2027.

During a one-year probation term, Afouxenides must complete anger-management classes and stay away from the victim with no contact.

The incident unfolded on October 18, 2025, as the “No Kings” rally wound down. Barnstable Police Patrolman Peter Ginnetty, assigned to monitor the crowded event, described a chaotic scene: protesters lining both sides of Route 28, Barnstable Road, and Route 132; people walking into traffic; cars slamming on brakes; horns blaring; signs waving; and megaphones echoing. Ginnetty spent much of the afternoon simply trying to keep people out of the roadway and clear the entrance to CVS and Citizens Bank, according to his filed report (attached in its entirety below today’s Hytown Vignette).

Near the end of the rally, Patrolman Ginnetty watched a blue Toyota SUV stop abruptly on Barnstable Road. The driver and a female passenger got out and disappeared behind the vehicle. Moments later the driver returned and threw what looked like a protest sign into the road.

Patrolman Ginnetty and Lt. Michael Clark ran over and found a man identified as Mr. Smith, 77, lying in the roadway, dazed and groaning. A bystander who identified herself as a nurse stopped them from moving him because of a possible head or neck injury. Rescue personnel later took Smith to Cape Cod Hospital.

Smith’s friend, identified as Mr. Stevens, told police they had been crossing Barnstable Road when a vehicle sped toward them, stopped, and a man got out and punched Smith multiple times in the face. Smith fell hard, smashing his head. Stevens said it happened too fast for him to intervene.

Afouxenides claimed Smith had struck his SUV with a cardboard sign, sparking the confrontation. Ginnetty examined the flimsy sign and the ground and found no evidence of vehicle damage. “I highly doubt that this poorly constructed cardboard sign could or would have caused damage to a motor vehicle,” the officer wrote.

At the hospital, Patrolman Ginnetty reported that Smith’s left eye was swelling, his nose was lacerated, and he had a black eye, an abrasion, a bump, and blood on the back of his head. Smith reportedly recalled seeing the SUV speed toward him, bracing with the sign to make it stop, then being struck or tackled. He was unsure of the exact sequence. Stevens reportedly filled in the gaps: Afouxenides punched Smith repeatedly in the face, breaking his glasses, before Smith hit the pavement.

In his report, Patrolman Ginnetty concluded the assault occurred in the presence of two officers. He noted the traffic backup and frustration were understandable given people darting into the roadway, but added that stopping in the middle of a busy street, exiting the vehicle, and confronting someone was “highly irrational” and “completely unnecessary.” The officer wrote that Afouxenides “got carried away.”

Afouxenides was arrested at the scene and charged with assault and battery on a person over 60. He pleaded not guilty at his October 20, 2025, arraignment. The CWOF disposition means that if he completes probation, the charge can be dismissed without a formal Massachusetts conviction. If he violates the terms, the court may enter a guilty finding and impose sentence.  (Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 278, Section 18)

The original Hyannis News report of October 20, 2025, first published Patrolman Ginnetty’s account in full (see below). The latest court action closes the criminal chapter for now while leaving the stay-away order and anger-management requirement in place through next August.

P.S. – Today’s Hytown Vignette is brought to you by Olivia Newton-John…

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Patrolman Ginnetty’s October 2025 report:

“On October 18, 2025, I was working and assigned to monitor the activities of the ‘No Kings’ political rally that was occurring at the Airport Rotary in Hyannis. This was an organized event with volunteers wearing bright yellow vests to assist in the event. People lined the exterior of the rotary, which stretched on both sides of Rt 28, down Barnstable Rd, people were also lined on both sides of Rt 132. People were parking in the roadways, walking good distances to be a part of this [event]. This event was full of people wearing political costumes, people yelling into [megaphones], and it appeared that every person was carrying and holding up signs with their opinions on political matters. It should be mentioned that I spent most of my time walking around my section of the event politely asking people to get out of the roadway, and not to block the access way to the CVS and Citizens Bank. I had observed countless incidents where participants just walked into traffic with little to no regard for passing motorists. This caused numerous motorists to slam on their brakes and it severely stalled the flow of traffic in that area of Hyannis.

At the conclusion of the event, I was stationary and speaking with my Lieutenant, Michael Clark. I was looking in the direction of the Airport Rotary and Barnstable Rd when I saw a blue Toyota SUV abruptly stop in the roadway. I then observed the [driver’s] door open and a white male quickly exited the vehicle and walked to the rear of the SUV. At the same time I saw the passenger door open and a white female exited the vehicle and both parties walked to the rear of the vehicle and were out of my sight. I initially thought that was dangerous place for someone to stop their car and switch operators, and I was waiting to hear or see another car crash into it from behind. I could not see what transpired behind the vehicle because the SUV blocked my view. Then I observed the driver walking back to his SUV and he threw what looked like a protesters sign toward the middle of the roadway.

Myself and Lt. Clark then exited our cruisers and ran to Barnstable Rd to see what was going on. At that time I observed a person laying on the ground on Barnstable Rd. I immediately signaled for the operator of the SUV to pull into the parking lot (which he did), and Lt. Clark dealt with the vehicle.

I then spoke to the individual on the ground, who was later identified as [Mr. Smith, age 77]. Smith was dazed and confused, and really couldn’t say much. Due to him being in an extremely vulnerable position in the roadway, I attempted to move him for his safety. He tried to explain that he needed a minute, but it was clear that he was injured. At this time, many witnesses came to our aid and tried to help. A woman that claimed to be a nurse directed me not move him due to a potential head/neck injury, so I let her take over. I then radioed for Hyannis Rescue to respond, and stopped traffic from entering onto Barnstable Rd.

After a few minutes, Mr. Smith (with the aid of multiple people) was moved out of the roadway and onto the grass. Mr. Smith was unable to speak to me and was groaning in what I would assume was severe pain. Hyannis Rescue responded in great time, attended to his injuries, and transported him to Cape Cod Hospital.

Mr. Smith’s friend, identified himself as [Mr. Stevens] and witnessed the incident. Mr. Stevens said that they were crossing the roadway (Barnstable Rd) and all he heard was a car speeding up towards them. Then the vehicle stopped and a man got out and punched his friend multiple times in the facial area which led to Mr. Smith to fall to the ground (and really smashed his head hard). He said it all happened so fast he couldn’t help his friend.

I told Lt. Clark that it was an assault on a person over 60, and that witnesses confirmed that the male in the SUV had just assaulted this 77 year old male. The driver of the SUV was identified as Peter AFOUXENIDES, and he was advised that he was under arrest and was placed into custody.

According to Lt. Clark, Mr. AFOUXENIDES was upset and made mention that Mr. Smith hit his vehicle with a sign, which caused the altercation. Lt. Clark and I observed Mr. Smith’s sign, and I highly doubt that this poorly constructed cardboard sign could or would have caused damage to a motor vehicle. I searched the ground for anything that Mr. AFOUXENIDES could have perceived would cause damage, but I did not see any.

This event was loud and chaotic, causing a significant traffic backup so I can understand people being aggravated by the persons jumping in and out on the roadway. I am assuming that Mr. AFOUXENIDES finally cleared the congestion and accelerated normally but probably stepped on the gas (so to speak), and then had to slam on the brakes because there were two males crossing the roadway and he came close to them. At this time of the investigation it was unclear if Mr. Smith’s sign made contact with the AFOUXENIDES’s SUV, but it was clear that an assault had just occurred in the presence of two police officers.

Officer Downs transported Mr. AFOUXENIDES and booked him accordingly.

After I finished speaking with the witnesses, I went to the Cape Cod Hospital and spoke to the victim.

At this time, Mr. Smith was recovering better than when I saw him on Barnstable Rd. It should be noted that Mr. Smith’s face appeared to be swelling on his left side of his eye, he had a small laceration to his nose, and I believe he is going to have at least one black eye. I also observed blood on the gurney sheet behind his head, and observed an abrasion to the rear of his head, and could see a large bump in that area as well.

I asked Mr. Smith what had happened, and he recalled that he was crossing the roadway and he saw the SUV speeding up/ passed him. He believes that he braced himself with his sign and made the vehicle stop. I asked if he swung the sign at the vehicle and he said he put it out to stop the vehicle, but it was a flimsy cardboard sign. I asked if he believed his sign could cause any damage, and he did not believe so. He explained that he didn’t really know how he hit the ground, and believed that the other person tackled him. He too said that the incident was really fast and he believed that the male swung at him multiple times, but never connected with his face. He thought the male tackled him to the ground, but was unsure.

After a brief conversation with Mr. Smith, his friend Mr. Stevens arrived in the Emergency Room. Mr. Stevens filled in the gaps that Mr. Smith could not recall (I believe from the assault or the impact of his head hitting the ground). Mr. Stevens said that Mr. Smith was struck by AFOUXENIDES multiple time to the face, breaking his [glasses] that were affixed to his face, and at some point he fell to the ground.

Based upon my experience and observations at this rally, I believe that Mr. AFOUXENIDES was consumed in that traffic which I can understand is extremely frustrating. It was loud, there were people screaming and yelling, waving all their signs at the passing vehicles, people walking in and out of traffic, people were blaring their horns and unfortunately Mr. AFOUXENIDES got carried away. How ever Mr. Smith’s sign made contact with his motor vehicle is really irrelevant. When someone causes damage to your personal property, you stop in a safe place and call police. Stopping your vehicle in the middle of a busy roadway is one thing, but then to exit your vehicle to confront someone is highly irrational. This could have caused vehicles from behind to crash into his vehicle, his poor wife that attempted to intervene and stop him could have been struck by another vehicle. This confrontation could have been a lot worse, but it was completely unnecessary.”

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