Wild video shows Jersey Shore police officers put surfer in chokehold over beach admission pass
When local police forcibly arrested surfer Liam Mahoney, there was a wild scene on Belmar Beach in New Jersey. Outrage and concerns regarding the use of force have been raised by the incident, which was caught on camera.
Witnesses claim that Mahoney’s failure to show off a beach access pass on his wetsuit was the initial cause of the trouble. But according to reports, the pass was tied to his possessions, which resulted in a heated exchange with the police.
Mahoney’s attempts to clarify his circumstances led to an intensified exchange. Hear the woman, clearly upset, yelling, “His badge is right here!” and raising concerns about the officers’ actions.
“Are you gonna get 10 more cops, and another cop car, to do what?” the woman defiantly shouted at the beach cops.
The next scene in the video depicts Mahoney being put in a chokehold and forced to the ground, much to the surprise and horror of bystanders, some of whom are young. While the surfer is being violently restrained, one witness can be heard screaming, “Get off of him!”
Mahoney was charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and obstruction of justice following the incident, for which he was placed under arrest. In addition, he received a citation for failing to have a beach badge, the Asbury Park Press reported.
“A local surfer was arrested at Belmar Beach on 19th Avenue for not displaying a beach badge on his wetsuit, despite having the badge attached to his beach bag,” Austin Downs, a witness posted on Facebook in the description of his video of the incident, “during the arrest, officers placed him in a choke hold and threw him to the ground.”
The Belmar Police Department has promised to conduct a comprehensive review of the circumstances and has begun an investigation into the matter. The Surfrider Foundation of Jersey Shore has also voiced concern about the incident, describing it as “disturbing” but recognizing the paucity of information surrounding the circumstances leading up to the arrest.
The event has sparked debate about the appropriateness of law enforcement using force, especially when it comes to minor infractions. In such cases, there is a growing call for increased accountability and transparency.
