A Berkeley man was arrested in downtown Oakland on Thursday after allegedly assaulting California Gov. Gavin Newsom, authorities said.
Serge Emanuel Benoit Chaumette Jr., 54, "approached" the governor while walking on Washington St. in Oakland, according to California Highway Patrol officials. The highway patrol provides security for the governor, and arrested Chaumette after the incident.
Newsom, who was in the city promoting support for local small businesses, "did not appear injured or disturbed by the incident," Bay Area News Group reported. Law enforcement sources told the outlet that Chaumette threw a water bottle at the governor.
"When reporters later asked what happened, he quipped that different people have different ways of saying hello," David DeBolt wrote for the outlet.
Chaumette was booked at Santa Rita Jail on suspicion of resisting an executive officer and assaulting a public official, according to the outlet. He is now on pretrial probation, according to Alameda County inmate logs, and set for a hearing on Monday.
A woman identifying herself as Chaumette’s sister told The Associated Press on Thursday that he is unhoused and has "severe mental health problems."
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