George Simon Bardmesser, 59, a political candidate running for Sunny Isles Beach commissioner, was arrested Sunday for allegedly attacking two teens while wearing his own campaign shirt.
Bardmesser was at a political event with several of his constituents at El Tripico Cuban Cuisine when surveillance footage caught him walking behind a teen seated in a booth and putting him in a chokehold.
The video then shows the 59-year-old slapping the other teen.
#SunnyIslesBeach commission #candidate George Bardmesser arrested after attacking #teens at #campaign event #caughtoncamera @Harold_T51 @Telemundo51 https://t.co/FwSri5U9kP pic.twitter.com/R4D8CnaYe3
— JRodriguez (@JRodzMIA) August 5, 2024
The owner and several bystanders at the restaurant intervened and managed to separate them.
A police officer on patrol was alerted of the altercation by restaurant staff, and Bardmesser was taken into custody, according to NBC Miami.
"People can know who they are, listen to their opinion, and what they have to say; unfortunately, it did not come out the way everybody wanted," said owner Pedro Vera, who broke up the fight.
Bardmesser was transported to Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center from the Sunny Isles Beach Police station and was reportedly still in jail as of Monday evening.
He currently faces two counts of child abuse with no great bodily harm.
