Democratic Party Official Arrested After Allegedly Injuring a Disabled Veteran at a ‘No Kings’ Protest
A Florida Democratic Party official, Brian Stewart, was arrested on a misdemeanor battery charge after allegedly striking a disabled veteran during a “No Kings” protest in Spring Hill, Hernando County. an affidavit from the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office says the deputy responded around 10:31 a.m. and that the victim-identified as Thomas Michta-sustained a visible head lump and reported pain, with probable cause found in the evidence and the defendant’s admissions that Stewart intentionally touched and harmed him against his will.
the incident began as Stewart intervened during counter-protest activity near a public official.Reports allege Stewart activated a siren on a megaphone, a counter-protester poured liquid into the megaphone, and Stewart then struck the man with the megaphone. stewart was released from jail on a $1,000 bond. Reactions were framed along party lines: the Hernando County Democratic Party defended Stewart as responding to provocation, while the Florida GOP condemned the violence and criticized Democratic leadership, highlighting ongoing political tensions surrounding protests and accountability.
A Florida Democrat has been arrested after allegedly attacking a man identified as a disabled veteran during a “No Kings” protest on Saturday.
Brian Stewart, chairman of the Hernando County Democratic Party, was arrested, according to WFLA-TV.
An affidavit released by the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office said that a deputy was called to Spring Hill at about 10:31 a.m. Saturday.
A man said that after an argument with Stewart, the Democratic Party operative “struck him against his will.”
The victim “reported pain and had a visible lump on his head, which was consistent with being struck,” the office said.
“Based on the victim’s statement, the witness statement, the video evidence, the visible injury to Thomas Michta, and the defendant’s own admissions, I developed probable cause to believe that the defendant intentionally struck and touched Thomas Michta against his will and caused bodily harm,” the affidavit stated.
The incident kicked off when Stewart intervened as counter-protestors followed a public official.
Stewart reportedly played the siren on his megaphone, even as a counter-protester complained the noise would damage his hearing.
The man poured a liquid into the megaphone. Stewart then allegedly struck him with the megaphone.
Stewart was arrested on a misdemeanor battery charge.
The Hernando County Democratic Party claimed in a statement that Stewart was arrested after “responding to a provocation from a local agitator who threw a drink on him and yelled obscenities at community members during a protest.”
Republicans offered a different perspective.
“Brian Stewart was arrested for violently attacking a disabled veteran at the far-left ‘No Kings’ rally yesterday,” the Florida Republican Part posted on X.
“Radical liberals are spiraling out of control!” the post said, noting that other leading Florida Democrats had not condemned the incident.
.@FlaDems Hernando County Chair Brian Stewart was arrested for violently attacking a disabled veteran at the far-left “No Kings” rally yesterday. Radical liberals are spiraling out of control! Where is the condemnation from @NikkiFried and Democrat leadership?…
— Florida GOP (@FloridaGOP) March 29, 2026
“Violence and political intimidation have no place in our state, and Floridians deserve better than mere silence from Democrat leadership. Nikki Fried must immediately remove Brian Stewart from his position of leadership in the Florida Democrat Party!” Florida GOP Chairman Evan Power said in a statement, according to WTVT-TV.
“The fact that this occurred at a far-left ‘No Kings’ protest only underscores how dangerous and inflammatory rhetoric from the radical Left continues to spill over into real-world violence. Leadership is measured by action, and the silence from Florida Democrats is deafening.”
Stewart, who is a member of the state Democratic Committee, was released from jail after posting $1,000 bond.
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