BELMAR, NJ (PIX11) — A surfer was put in a chokehold and forced to the ground in New Jersey after he failed to show police his beach badge, according to a video posted on Facebook.
The incident occurred in Belmar on Tuesday, police confirmed in an email.
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“Liam Mahoney, 28, of Junction City, California, was charged with disturbing the peace and resisting arrest,” said a statement from Belmar Police Chief Tina M. Scott. “Both disturbing the peace and obstruction of justice are minor misdemeanors. Mahoney was also issued a municipal ordinance for the required beach badge.”
Police arrested Mahoney, a surfer, on Tuesday. A woman asked him why he was being arrested and said he had his badge on him. One officer put Mahoney in a chokehold while another held his hands behind his back.
Officers wrestled the surfer to the ground, and several bystanders on the beach yelled at police to let Mahoney go because, as a video shows, they noticed the woman had his badge on her.
The official Belmar Beautiful Sea Beach website states that ID is required on the beach seven days a week. The website states that anyone violating the ID will be issued a citation and escorted from the beach. The website does not mention if you must wear the ID at all times on the beach.
Belmore Police did not comment on the incident, but said the department was “made aware of a video circulating on social media.”
Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist based in El Paso, Texas. He has been covering local news and LGBTQIA issues in the New York City metropolitan area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can find more of his work here.
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