Belmar Police Put Surfer In Chokehold For Lack Of Beach Badge: Video

BELMAR, NJ — A video circulating widely on social media shows Belmar Police officers putting a surfer in a chokehold and slamming him into the sand — because he did not immediately show his beach badge when asked, according to the video.

This happened Tuesday afternoon, according to the person who posted the video to Facebook.

"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. During the arrest, officers placed him in a chokehold and threw him to the ground. (Please Share)," he wrote.

You can watch the video, which contains violence and strong language, here.

The video starts with two Belmar Police officers on either side of a man wearing a wetsuit, flanking him. A woman in a bikini keeps telling the officers "His badge is right here," and she holds something in her hand, presumably showing the officers the beach badge.

“I have my badge right there,” the man in the wetsuit tells the officers multiple times. "I walked into the shower."

“Why are you guys arresting him? His badge is right here,” the woman continues to ask the police.

The police officers grab the man's arms and he appears to struggle with them. Then, the larger of the two police officers puts the man in a chokehold and forces him down onto the sand.

The woman and other witnesses start screaming and begging the police officers to stop, and one woman passing by becomes very angry, shouting at the officers "Get off of him! This is what happens on the news!"

Children walking by also start crying.

Belmar Police said the surfer was resisting arrest and acting disorderly.

"The Belmar Police Department has been made aware of a video circulating on social media depicting a person being arrested on the beach in Belmar on Tuesday, August 20," said Belmar Police in this Facebook post on the incident, which they posted Wednesday night.

"The individual, 28-year-old Liam Mahoney of Junction City, California, has been charged with Disorderly Conduct and Resisting Arrest, both disorderly persons offenses, as well as Obstruction of Justice, a petty disorderly persons offense. He was also issued a borough ordinance for Beach Badge Required.

A thorough review of the circumstances of the arrest will be conducted, in accordance with applicable New Jersey Office of the Attorney General (OAG) guidelines.

Despite these charges, every defendant is presumed innocent, unless and until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, following a trial at which the defendant has all of the trial rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and State law."

The officer who put Mahoney in a chokehold and made the arrest is Ryan E. Braswell, NJ.com reported.