As he sought to promote small businesses in light of the state’s recent reopening during a visit to the city of Oakland on Thursday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom was allegedly assaulted by a 54-year-old Berkeley resident.
Serge Emanuel Benoit Chaumette Jr. was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a public official and resisting an officer, according to an article from the San Francisco Chronicle. Chaumette was held at Santa Rita Jail following his arrest with bail set at $35,000.
According to Custodio Lopez, a California Highway Patrol officer, the alleged assault took place at 10:46 a.m., although details regarding the nature of the event are unconfirmed.
At the time of the alleged encounter, Newsom had been walking to Graffiti Pizza in Old Oakland when Chaumette first approached him in an “aggressive” manner, according to an article by the East Bay Times. Following his removal from the scene, Newsom was later described as being uninjured and undisturbed.
“(Chaumette was) just a gentlemen who wanted to say hello,” Newsom said in the article by the San Francisco Chronicle. “And we all have our different ways of expressing ourselves. And he certainly made an impact.”
Chaumette’s arraignment hearing was scheduled for Monday at the East County Hall of Justice in Dublin, the East Bay Times article noted.
Check back for updates.
