Police on the Jersey Shore arrested a surfer for not displaying a beach badge on his wetsuit, despite having one attached to his beach bag on Tuesday, August 20, local media reported.
Video captured by Austin Downs shows police detaining the surfer, a friend of Downs’, before the situation escalates in front of shocked beachgoers in Belmar on Tuesday afternoon.
“He was released from jail yesterday, and the police seemed to have targeted him as soon as he stepped out of the water from surfing,” Downs told Storyful.
“Beach police were doing a sweep … going up to everybody asking for badges. They were also saying the badges have to be attached to you at all times (cannot be attached to hats, bags, etc). They had a similar altercation the day before with a different surfer so maybe that had something to do with it,” he added.
Beach badges are required for admission to Belmar beaches seven days a week between Memorial Day and Labor Day, according to the city’s website; a daily badge costs $12. “Violators will be issued a summons and escorted from the beach and may not return until they have obtained a badge,” the website stated.
Storyful has contacted the Belmar Police Department for comment. Credit: Austin Downs via Storyful
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