FORT WORTH, Texas — Video of Fort Worth police arresting counter-protesters from the Elm Fork John Brown Gun Club went viral over the weekend after the group claimed officers abused them.
On Monday evening, the Fort Worth Police Department shared clips of body camera video showing its perspective of the incident.
Police said they arrested three people in the group of counter-protesters including two for felonies.
Just before 1 p.m. Sunday, the department was operating a city camera which showed a group of around five protesters outside Fort Worth Brewery and Pizza near University Drive and White Settlement Road. The pizzeria was hosting a drag show brunch.
Drag events in North Texas and across the country have been frequent targets for anti-LGBTQ protesters.
The gun club members showed up as counter-protesters. Video shows one of its members spraying a person who was part of the anti-drag protest.
Police said in a statement Monday that the substance was pepper spray and identified the counter-protester as Samuel Fowlkes.
When police go to arrest Fowlkes, he walks and eventually runs away. In the process, another counter-protester, who police identified as 33-year-old Christopher Guillott, hits an officer with an umbrella.
The view of Folkwes arrest is covered up or blocked by clothes and body parts in the video Fort Worth police shared. Police said Monday evening they wouldn’t be sharing other body camera video of the incident.
Police said Fowlkes was arrested on four counts of assault causing bodily injury, evading arrest, resisting arrest and assault on a peace officer, which is a second-degree felony.
Guillott also faces the charge of assault on a peace officer, along with interfering with public duties.
Both Fort Worth PD and the counter-protesters put out video of a third arrest. The John Brown Gun Club tweeted video Sunday which they said shows part of their group attempting to reach Fowlkes, who is calling out for help. The woman yells that she’s a medic.
Police said they arrested 37-year-old Meghan Grant for resisting arrest and for interfering with public duties.
The group also complained that an officer’s gun is pointed at them while he slings it over his head. The officer can be heard saying “I flagged all of y’all” in the video. Flagging is when someone points a gun at another person.
In an emailed, Fort Worth Police Department said, “The FWPD conducts an administrative review every time a FWPD Officer uses force to determine if the involved officer’s actions were within FWPD policy; therefore, a review of this incident will occur as well.
Neither the counter-protesters nor the brewery could be reached for any comment on the incident.