Virginia police officers have been captured on video throwing a reporter on the ground while arresting him. The incident happened over the weekend.
Mike Stark, a reporter for the liberal media site Shareblue Media, is seen in the video getting into an argument with a Fairfax County police officer on Saturday while covering a parade which included Virginia gubernatorial candidate Ed Gillespie.
A police officer is seen telling Stark to “get out of the road” and “stay on the sidewalk.” Once the conversation becomes heated, a second officer can be heard telling Stark, “If you curse again, you’re going to go to jail.” Stark responds with “f— this.”
The officers then pushed Stark against a fence before pinning him to the ground and attempting to handcuff him. Stark can be heard on the video saying, “You have your weight on top of me, I cannot give you my hand.”
Three additional officers then swarmed Stark to assist in pinning him down.
“I think they were letting me know who was boss,” Stark said in a statement to The Washington Post. “It was unnecessary, unlawful and violent, but not brutal.” A Fairfax County police spokesman declined to elaborate to WaPo, only saying they were aware of the incident.
According to Shareblue, “Stark was ultimately charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest and released on a $3000 bond.”
Shareblue Media reporter violently arrested while covering GOP nominee for Virginia governorhttps://t.co/HWHapmV0qu pic.twitter.com/vrHBa0lEfD
— Holly Figueroa O'Reilly (@AynRandPaulRyan) October 31, 2017