This photo provided by the Maryland-National Capital Park Police shows Anthony Brennan III. The Maryland-National Capital Park Police say that Brennan was arrested Friday, June 5, 2020, after a video appeared to show him violently grab an object from a young adult who was posting signs protesting the death of George Floyd. (Maryland-National Capital Park Police via AP)
Republished June 05, 2020 - 7:39 PM
Original Publication Date June 04, 2020 - 7:21 PM
BETHESDA, Md. - A 60-year-old Maryland man was arrested Friday after a video appeared to show him violently grab an object from a young adult who was posting signs protesting the death of George Floyd, park police said.
The Maryland-National Capital Park Police said in a news release that Anthony Brennan III, of Kensington, Maryland, was charged with three counts of second-degree assault.
Police said the incident occurred Monday on the Capital Crescent Trail. The trail runs along MacArthur Boulevard in northwest Washington D.C. and into Montgomery County in Maryland.
The 34-second video shows a cyclist walk up to a young adult. Someone yells, “She has nothing, do not touch her sir!” but the man grabs her arm for several seconds and wrestles an object from her.
The cyclist was then shown picking up his bicycle, running with it toward the person shooting the video and forcing him to the ground.
It was not immediately clear whether Brennan has an attorney who could comment on the charges.
Brennan appeared to have been an employee of MadeToOrder, Inc., a branding company that helps create promotional products.
Shortly after Brennan's arrest was announced, the company tweeted a statement that it had fired an employee who had “engaged in disturbing, wrongful, and completely unacceptable behaviour directed towards peaceful demonstrators.”
The group of people said they were putting up flyers near Dalecarlia Tunnel in Bethesda promoting justice for Floyd. Bystander video showed a Minneapolis police officer pressing his knee on Floyd’s neck, ignoring Floyd’s “I can’t breathe” cries and staying on him even after he stopped moving.
News from © The Associated Press, 2020