Multiple sources have confirmed that Sacramento Mayor, former National Basketball Association star, and UC Berkeley standout Kevin Johnson was hit in the face with a pie tonight at a farm-to-table dinner event – then he tackled and assaulted the protester in a “bloody” brawl.
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Sacramento Magazine released four photos showing the confrontation and the aftermath.
Sean Thompson, a 32-year-old local activist, was charged Friday with one count of felony assault against a public official and one count of misdemeanor battery.
The news started to make national headlines following the revelation that Johnson then beat the protester who attacked him, tackling him to the ground and landing several punches to the man’s face before he was subdued and police took him into custody. But when asked if he’d do it again, he said, “Absolutely, I’d do it twice”.
Both police and Strait said Thompson was previously unknown to the mayor and his staff.
A booking photo of Thompson showed he had a black left eye with stitches around it. Thompson was hospitalized before being booked into jail, and he said he had nine stitches.
“I felt some pressure to do something that would at least symbolize and embarrass him”, Thompson said.
“He seemed like a really great guy”, Thompson said in a jailhouse interview with the paper.
A few of Thompson’s supporters came to see the activist in court. She said she and other supporters held a party on the street with Thompson in front of the jail with pizza, some of which they shared with homeless people nearby.
Prosecutors will review the case, including the mayor’s reaction, after receiving the police reports, likely on Friday, district attorney spokeswoman Shelly Orio said.
Thompson added that his actions were not representative of Occupy Sacramento.
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Bjork, who works for a professional soccer team in Sacramento, said the mayor was standing near her when he was hit.
