Shareblue reporter thrown down, arrested by police

A man working for Democratic operative David Brock’s Shareblue Media was arrested at a parade in Annandale, Va., over the weekend after he argued with police about filming Republican gubernatorial candidate Ed Gillespie’s campaign vehicle. 

Video of the dispute and the subsequent arrest of Mike Stark show a police officer demanding that he stop filming the vehicle and move further away from the road. Stark can then be heard saying, “f— this,” before an officer pulls the man’s arms behind his back to arrest him.

After a brief struggle, one officer is seen pulling Stark’s leg out from under him, forcing him to the ground, where two officers attempt to pin him down and attempt to place his arms behind his back.

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“You have your weight on top of me,” Stark can be heard saying, as four other officers run to the scene. “I cannot give you my hand.”

The group of officers then corral Stark and attempt to handcuff him. Stark can be heard grunting and telling officers that he can’t lift his hand from underneath him.

After Stark is placed in handcuffs, he is seen being turned over onto his side and told that he was arrested for using profanity, which one of the officers said was in violation of county code 511. According to Shareblue, Stark was ultimately charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. He was released on a $3,000 bond.

When reached for comment by The Hill on Tuesday, Gillespie’s campaign referred all questions on the arrest to the Fairfax County Police Department. 

Shareblue is part of Brock’s network of websites and political organizations, including the liberal watchdog group Media Matters for America and the American Bridge super PAC.

Gillespie is set to face off in Virginia’s gubernatorial election next month against Democratic Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam. The race has drawn national attention, and is being closely watched as an indicator of President Trump’s popularity and its potential effect on the 2018 midterm elections.

Trump did not win Virginia in 2016, and most public polling data shows Northam leading Gillespie.