'Red Forman' cyclist arrested for assaulting young activists, internet goes beserk over 'That '70s show' lookalike
A viral video surfaced on the internet where a cyclist was caught on camera assaulting and cursing activists who were posting flyers on the Capital Crescent Trail. The Maryland-National Capital Park Police immediately launched a search to identify the suspect from the clip. "We are seeking the public's assistance in identifying the individual in reference to an assault that took place this morning on the Capital Crescent Trail," they wrote in a tweet. The incident was caught on camera on June 1.
No sooner did it grab eyeballs on Twitter, users began to blame a man named Peter Weinberg for the incident and started slamming him. However, we reported earlier that the man himself tweeted a clarification saying, "I recently learned I have been misidentified in connection with a deeply disturbing attack. Please know this was not me. I have been in touch with authorities and will continue to help in any way possible."
Cops arrested the cyclist in connection to the incident on June 5. According to Maryland-National Capital Park Police, 60-year-old Anthony Brennan III of Kensington, Maryland, surrendered to police on Friday, June 5, and was charged with three counts of second-degree assault for the incident that took place on Monday, June 1 on Capital Crescent Trail.
An official statement from the police stated that investigators received "hundreds of tips from the public since the video was circulated." Cops then spoke to Brennan and his attorney on Friday morning. He allowed them to search his house and "items of evidentiary value" were seized. Thanking the community, the police said, "The Maryland-National Capital Park Police appreciates the courage and civic engagement of the victims who came forward in this matter. We thank the community for the abundance of tips and information shared."
The news of the cyclist being arrested soon circulated on social media and his picture went viral. Funnily enough, people are now comparing him to the character Red Forman from ‘That '70s Show’. "Why does this idiot have to look like the great Red Forman," one tweet read. One wondered, "Is that Red Foreman??" and another said, "Isn’t that Red Forman?" Another wrote, "Glad they caught that guy in Maryland that looks like Red Forman (or is it Bike Tyson from RoboCop?) — Red Foreman."
Surprisingly, Red Foreman (a misspelling of Red Forman) soon started trending on Twitter. However, many fans were outraged to see his name being dragged into the case. "Don't smear Red Foreman's good name to mock this a**hole. How DARE you," one tweet read and another said, "Can we not have Red Foreman trending because his actor shares a slight similarity to an a**hole former cop who harassed a kid? Have Red trend because 'That 70's Show' was God tier and his character was hilarious."