Maryland police arrested a 60-year-old man on Friday after he was captured on video assaulting a group of people, including a girl, who were reportedly putting up signs protesting the police killing of George Floyd.
The man, Anthony Brennan III, was charged with three counts of second-degree assault, according to the Maryland National Capital Park Police.
Advertisement
In a press release Friday, police said that Brennan was arguing with a group including two females and one male as they were “posting flyers” that included “a call for community action.”
Brennan “forcibly grabbed the flyers from one of the victims,” then pushed his bicycle toward the male in the group, causing the victim to fall, according to police.
Brennan had his bicycle when he began harassing the group, as seen in the video of the attack, which went viral this week. Footage shows Brennan moving aggressively toward a girl and grabbing at her arm before moving toward the person filming the scene.
Advertisement
Police asked for the public’s assistance in identifying the bicyclist in the video on Tuesday. Earlier Friday, Detective Crystal Lopez of the Maryland-National Capital Park Police told HuffPost that they were investigating a “good lead.”
We are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the below individual in reference to an assault that took place this morning on the Capital Creacent trail. Please contact Det. Lopez at 301-929-2774 with any information. Pease reference case number 20001297. pic.twitter.com/EtC9Q0xBOp
The video, filmed on Monday on the Capital Crescent Trail linking Washington and Bethesda, Maryland, shows the helmeted man off his bicycle approaching a female.
“Get away from me!” she yells.
He then rushes toward what appears to be a young girl as the woman and the man taking the video yell at the cyclist not to touch her and to leave.
The cyclist seems to forcefully grab the girl’s arm, wrests something from her hand and mutters an expletive.
Advertisement
He then rushes at the man, who tumbles to the ground, dropping the camera.
“He runs it into me and pins me to the ground,” the man, who asked that his name not be used, said, per NBC in Washington.
“You want it? I’ll give it to you,” the alleged victim can be heard saying to the cyclist.
They were putting up signs to commemorate the death of George Floyd. He wasn't having it. pic.twitter.com/eukrXrxoLN
Online speculation about the cyclist’s identity followed.
In a tweet Thursday night, the Maryland-National Capital Park Police encouraged people to “keep the tips coming.”
“Please remember that all people are innocent until proven otherwise,” the tweet added.
Support HuffPost
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.