A security guard for San Jose’s mayor got into a sidewalk brawl with a foul-mouthed stranger who interrupted a television interview with the California city’s leader Tuesday afternoon, according to shocking footage.
The guard took a shot to the side of the head before he countered and pushed the man away during the wild tussle that played out on camera in downtown San Jose.
Mayor Matt Mahan was doing an interview with KRON when the passerby, identified by police as 35-year-old Wesley Pollard, began cursing a few feet away.
“Sorry, we’re doing an interview sir,” Mahan said, to no avail.
As the mayor’s guard, who works for San Jose police, began to talk with the man, he claimed to work nearby.
“I’m talking on the phone, you got a problem?” Pollard said as he unleashed a profanity-laced tirade.
“I’ll smack you right now,” Pollard also appeared to say off camera. “I will f–cking smack you.”
A few seconds later, the man slapped the guard’s head, the KRON footage shows.
The plainclothes cop, who has not been identified, then pushed Pollard out of the camera’s view before the two quickly reappeared.
The guard continued to charge toward Pollard as he grabbed at the officer’s head, the footage shows.
At one point the guard slipped before quickly regaining his footing during the struggle.
The two then circled around each other for a bit — as the mayor and others looked on — before getting in another physical struggle, the footage shows.
The two eventually held onto each other while at least a couple people were on their phones and apparently calling for help.
“Let me go,” Pollard said repeatedly before a few other individuals jumped in to help restrain the rabble rouser as the camera cuts out.
The security detail was taken to the hospital and stayed overnight with head and neck pain following the fight, KRON reported.
Authorities arrested Pollard and charged him with felony battery on a police officer. He remained in custody as of Wednesday, the station reported.
“Mayor Matt Mahan is deeply grateful to his security detail and the entire San Jose Police Department,” the mayor’s office said in a statement, per the television station.
“The actions of the Officer tonight were heroic and a testament to the deescalation training that makes our officers effective, compassionate and stewards of community trust.”
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