Slapping is battery.
Why are they calling it simple assault?
Why? Because it happened in southern NH, a place packed with Masshole transplants that escaped the mess they created and the outrageous taxes they voted for only to bring their leftism to the former solid Red and reliable Republican, Live Free or Die state.
Same thing has been happening with California transplants moving to Montana, Colorado, Nevada, Arizona, Texas, etc...
Different states, different lingo.