A man has been arrested for suspecting a motorcycle at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota rally over the weekend during a largely peaceful protest.
Video posted on social media seems to show several policemen apprehending the suspect while being surrounded by a large crowd of cyclists who participated in the annual rally.
One clip of the arrest was posted on Twitter with the caption “Antifa actually showed up Sturgis today “although it is not clear if the anti-fascist movement was involved in the protest.
A second video also appears to be seen at the moment the suspect came out at a cyclist as he was driving past on his motorcycle.
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Geody VanDewater, Sturgis Chief of Police, said officers were aware of the planned protest against the large rally that took place across the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hundreds of thousands of riders came from all over the country to the rally in South Dakota city.
Mask-wearing was not mandatory and social distance proved to be untenable in the locks and on the streets, allowing fears the rally could help spread the virus.
“They express their first amendment just like the protesters and for the most part it was civil and everyone was well behaved until one of the protesters decided to kick a motorcyclist on his motorcycle,” VanDewater told KEVN.
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The suspect, from Rapid City, South Dakota, was arrested for wrongful conduct and behavior, Vandewater told the Associated Press.
Eli Villarreal was one of those who recorded the protester being arrested by officers at the rally.
“The current international focus is on Sturgis, with the COVID-19 and everything and I know people want this and want to see what happens here, “Villarreal said KEVN.
“We are currently in the spotlight, Sturgis, this is the largest event held in probably the world since the COVID broke out so that all eyes are on us right now. That’s the reason I pulled the phone so people can see what’s going on here. “
Sturgis Police have been contacted for further comment.
Elsewhere, the South Dakota Highway Patrol confirmed that a total of five people died while participating in the massive rally, three more than last year.
A 64-year-old man rode 1981 Harley Davidson XLH motorcycle to the north Sturgis Road, mile marker 43, within the city limits of Piedmont, died of his injuries after crashing on Friday, August 14th. The victim was struck by a southern Chevrolet Equinox in 2019 that crossed the border centerline. Charges are pending against the 47-year-old driver of the Equinox.
A 56-year-old man who was thrown from his motorbike after crashing into a ditch on US Highway 16A in Custer State Park on Monday, August 10, died Friday from his injuries. The man, who was driving a Harley Davidson Heritage in 2003, was not wearing a helmet at the time.
Two people also died after being involved in a three-way collision on US Highway 14A, mile marker 49, three miles west of Sturgis on August 10th.
William Cooper, 22, of College Station, Texas, was airlifted to a Rapid City hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Ronald Ratzel, 55, of Ceres, New York, was pronounced dead at the scene. Steven Peterson, 60, of Cuba, New York, also sustained life-threatening injuries as a result of the accident. None of the riders wore helmets at the time.
Michael Ciaglo / Getty
