Protest Arrest Dismissed: Questions on Fair Handling

0:00It's April 15th. You're listening to Tampa Bay News today, AI-powered local news. Battery charges got dropped against Brian Stewart, the 63-year-old Democratic Party chair in Hernando County, Florida. He was arrested after a scuffle at a No Kings protest on March 28th. State Attorney William Gladson nicks the case on April 7th, saying video evidence showed too many holes in the story. Gladson pointed out the supposed victim had no injuries, and his account didn't match the footage. Turns out the guy was chasing down a demonstrator, harassing her over something unrelated. When Stewart stepped in with his bullhorn, the man threw a beverage right into it, sparking the pushback. A local Republican, Frankie Davis, who ran for office before, jumped into back Stewart. He called him one of the most decent folks in the rough political scene, and said the harassers had a history of stirring trouble. Davis argued Stewart was just protecting someone from getting targeted. Stewart himself released the letter saying he never started anything, blaming a known

1:00right-wing agitator for taunting protesters to film reactions. He slammed deputies for ignoring witnesses and cell phone videos at the scene, claiming they threatened arrests instead of listening. This dismissal highlights how quick arrests at protests can fizzle under real review, leaving questions about fair handling on both sides.