Patrons Urge Boycott Of Fort Lauderdale Bar Over Brawl
FORT LAUDERDALE (CBS4) - Fort Lauderdale police have arrested one of the bouncers who is seen in a viral video beating up a customer outside the Dirty Blondes bar.
Arnald Thomas-Darrah, 30, was arrested Sunday after one of the customers filed a police report.
Thomas-Darrah is charged with felony battery.
One of the men seen on video being kicked in the head, Alexander Coelho, told police that he was inside the bar and got into an argument with one of the bartenders. He said he asked to speak to a manager and that is when he says he was attacked outside.
CBS4's Joan Murray spoke to Coelho's father about the arrest.
"It's an unfortunate situation it happened at all. Whatever we have to do to make this thing right is a good thing," said Rick Coelho who told us his son is seeing a neurosurgeon because he was kicked in the head.
Meanwhile people who say there's a pattern of abusive bouncers have taken to Facebook calling for a boycott of the bar.
"It's a dangerous place. People get beat up all the time. The bouncers revel in the brutality. There should be more arrests," said Charlie King, who supports the boycott.
Another video has surfaced of another brawl at the bar, and while he doesn't have video, former patron Paul Karpowicz said bouncers beat him up in November 2011.
"They broke a piece of cartilage in my throat there was blood all over. My throat still hurts to this day," he said.
CBS4 tried to talk to the manager and owner of Dirty Blondes and were told 'no comment'.
