Surfer arrested, put in chokehold by NJ police for not showing beach badge: video

BELMAR, N.J. (PIX11) — A surfer was put into a chokehold and forced to the ground after not being able to show police his beach badge in New Jersey, according to a video posted to Facebook.

The incident happened in Belmar on Tuesday, police said.

“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,” Belmar Chief of Police Tina M. Scott said in a statement Wednesday. “He was also issued a borough ordinance for Beach Badge Required.”

In the video on Facebook , a woman asks why Mahoney is being arrested, saying he has his badge and holding it in the air. An officer then puts Mahoney in a chokehold position while another officer holds his hands behind his back, the video shows. The officers wrestle the surfer to the ground as multiple onlookers scream at the police to let him go, the video shows.

The Belmar Beautiful Sea Beach website notes that badges are required to enter the beach seven days a week. The website notes that violators will be issued a summons and escorted from the beach. The website does not say whether you must always wear the badge while on the beach.

An investigation into the circumstances of the arrest will take place, according to the Belmar chief of police.

Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here .

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