Incident at Protest in Florida

A Democrat in Hernando County, Florida, was arrested for reportedly hitting a man with a bullhorn during a protest labeled “No Kings.” The arrested individual, Brian Stewart, 63, claimed that the man he struck, identified as Thomas Michta—a disabled veteran—did not provoke the encounter.

Stewart, charged with simple assault, a misdemeanor in Florida, was taken to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Detention Center following the incident on Saturday in Spring Hill, though he was released later that day.

Describing himself as “not a violent person,” Stewart asserted that Michta was disturbing others at the rally to provoke a reaction. “This was a peaceful event with community members participating,” he told a news outlet.

Stewart explained, “Unfortunately, someone was disrupting the environment and harassing the rally participants.” He further stated, “I never sought to escalate the situation.” It’s surprising, really; he didn’t expect to find himself defending his actions.

The protest included demonstrators opposing policies from the Trump administration. Deputies were called to the scene at Mariner Boulevard and Cortez Boulevard around 10:30 a.m. Saturday after Stewart allegedly struck Michta during a dispute.

Michta reported a visible injury and pain following the altercation. Witness statements and video footage reviewed by deputies indicated that Stewart used the bullhorn to hit Michta and push him, which led to the charge against him.

According to the arrest affidavit, after analyzing the evidence, authorities found probable cause to believe that Stewart had intentionally caused bodily harm.

Stewart opted not to provide further comments, citing legal advice. “I have many other thoughts I’d like to share,” he said, “but my lawyers have advised me to wait until the litigation is settled.”

He is set to appear in court on April 27th.

Both the Florida Democratic Party and the Hernando County chapter denounced violence, with the local branch stating that they were informed Stewart reacted to provocations from attendees who were disruptive during the protest.

Meanwhile, the Florida Republican Party has called for Stewart’s removal from his role as chair. They stressed that “Violence and political intimidation have no place in our state,” urging for immediate action to be taken against Stewart.