Ft. Lauderdale police arrested a bouncer after a 15-second Instagram video showed him stomping a bar patron outside Dirty Blondes Sports Bar.
Dirty Blondes bouncer Arnald Thomas-Darrah, 30, (inset top) was arrested at his Oakland Park home on Sunday after the victim, Alex Coelho, 29, (inset bottom) filed a police report on Friday — a week after the incident happened.
Police also obtained a warrant for another Dirty Blondes bouncer, Jovan Ralfhel Dean, 35. Another man, David Parker, 27, was allegedly punched by Dean.
Coelho was arrested after the fracas and charged with battery on a police officer and disorderly conduct. According to Officer Marc Decarlo, Coelho approached him and shoved him in the chest. Coelho’s drinking buddy, Parker, was also arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.
Neither man reported being assaulted that day, despite Coelho being treated at a local hospital for his injuries. Coelho waited a week to report the incident after the video went viral and his friends organized a boycott of the sports bar.
According to witnesses, Coelho and Parker were belligerent and verbally assaulted the bartender for diluting their mixed drinks. They were escorted out of the bar by 3 bouncers wearing black tees. Coelho and Parker argued with the club’s bouncers, and demanded to see the owner. That’s when Darrah and Dean pushed the two men who fell to the pavement. Darrah is seen swinging at Coelho’s head and then stomping him once.
Coelho’s girlfriend and another woman created a Facebook page called ‘Boycott Dirty Blondes’ where she posted the 15-second video. The women described Coelho and Parker as ordering “a drink they didn’t like, and asked for a new one (offering to pay for both).”
Friends and supporters of Coelho and Parker protested outside Dirty Blonds Sports bar on Sunday.
“I watched the video time and time again and I’m absolutely beside myself every time I see it,” a protestor told NBC 6.
“I’m here to today to support the cause of having a little bit more screening and control over our security – people that are supposed to be securing us and not assaulting us when we are out on the town.”
But Dirty Blond owner, A.J. Yaari, told The Sun Sentinel the video doesn’t tell the entire story.
“It looks like it was a bunch of troublemakers who came to the bar drunk causing trouble,” he said. “Now, they are just trying to make us look bad.”
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