Fresno city council president cited for battery after confrontation with protesters
Fresno city council president in clash with protesters
Fresno City Council President Miguel Arias said he felt threatened that the activists had shown up while his kids were home. He said that after asking them to leave, he swiped at their equipment and shoved one man during the confrontation on a stairway.
FRESNO, Calif. - Fresno's city council president is defending his actions after a confrontation with protesters who showed up at his doorstep.
Miguel Arias said the protesters were opposed to the city's shelter-in-place orders, and some have threatened him online and in public.
He said he was in fight-or-flight mode Tuesday afternoon as his children were just feet away, napping on the couch. The Fresno Bee reported that his daughter had tested negative for COVID-19 in March, and this week was the first time he was able to see his kids in two months.
Arias was caught on camera apparently pushing at least one person.
A video posted to Facebook by user James Hoak shows a group of seven or so people outside Arias’ apartment.
They were led by Ben Bergquam, who runs a media Facebook page called Frontline America and organized last week’s Freedom Rally protesting the shelter order, the Fresno Bee reported.
The video shows Arias pushing Bergquam, microphone in hand, and others who are filming.
Police cited Arias with three misdemeanor counts of battery.