Man Arrested For May Day Snare Drum Assault

A man was in custody Thursday for allegedly hitting a Los Angeles police officer on the head with a snare drum during the May Day protests.

Brian Mendoza, 23, was arrested on Wednesday and booked on suspicion of assault on a peace officer, said Los Angeles police spokesman Richard French.

He was booked for a felony and was being held without bail, according to the Sheriff's Department.

Mendoza allegedly struck the officer on the head from behind on Tuesday afternoon, and the blow put a dent in her helmet.

The attack was caught on videotape showing a protester with a drum hanging from his neck. The female officer walks past him to join other officers on a skirmish line, and the suspect grabs his drum and hits the officer on the back of the head, causing her to tumble forward. She was not seriously injured.

Due to profanity in at least one version of the video, Pali Patch will not link to the clip. The video showing the protester is on YouTube, however it requires that you create a profile and verify you are over the age of 18.