Surfer Gets Brutally Tackled and Arrested For Not Displaying Beach Badge in New Jersey
Another beach day in the “Land of the Free.”
Update: On August 23, Belmar Police released bodycam footage of Liam Mahoney’s arrest.
A summer afternoon in Belmar, New Jersey, took an unfortunate turn when local surfer Liam Mahoney was tackled and arrested for allegedly not displaying a beach badge on his wetsuit while attempting to access public showers after surfing.
The incident, which occurred around 4:30 PM on Tuesday, has stirred emotions within a tight-knit surfing community, and raised concerns about the strict enforcement of beach regulations in place.
Belmar, like many beach towns in New Jersey, requires all beachgoers to purchase and display badges as part of a longstanding policy to generate revenue from its coastline. Beach badges are required for admission to Belmar’s beaches from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM on weekdays, and from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM on weekends and public holidays. A daily badge costs $12, and seasonal badges are available for $80.
Under the Public Trust Doctrine, “The State of New Jersey holds all tidally flowed lands in trust for the use and enjoyment of the public. This includes the ocean, bays and tidal rivers, as well as the adjoining shoreline over which these waters flow and, in certain circumstances, some amount of the upland dry sand area, even if the upland area is privately owned.”
While many other Jersey Shore towns have similar rules, enforcement can vary. In some towns, surfers are allowed to cross the beach without paying so long as they remain below the high-tide line. However, Belmar is strict about enforcing the badge rule, using seasonal badge-checkers and part-time police officers to do so.
The Public Trust Doctrine acknowledges and considers the most ancient public trust right of navigation, and states that, “Citizens are not charged to access and remain on or adjacent to public trust lands to surf. However, like fishermen, surfers may be subject to restrictions designed to protect the public health and welfare, such as a restriction against surfing at a bathing beach during bathing hours and/or surfing in designated areas only.”
Stab‘s own Brendan Buckley, born and bred in Belmar, had his own share of confrontations with cops and badge-checkers during his formative years: “I used to have a photo of myself getting apprehended in a wetsuit — it wasn’t violent — but I lost it on an old hard drive!” Buck’s approach to the badge issue was usually simple: “Most badge-checkers are retired people or teenagers just sitting there reading a book, so we’d just walk past them. They really didn’t care much.”
Liam Mahoney reportedly had his badge in his sister’s bag, but officer Ryan Braswell didn’t believe him. Assuming Mahoney was trespassing without a badge, Braswell grabbed him as he attempted to leave the beach. This moment coincided with the beginning of a viral video where the officer can be seen tackling the surfer, despite Mahoney offering little resistance.
Buck noted that conflicts between surfers and beach authorities date back decades, even to his father’s generation. While Belmar’s beach badge policy has been a reliable source of income, it has also faced criticism for being overly strict and exclusionary. Some argue that requiring badges creates economic barriers, particularly for lower-income families and immigrant communities, who may avoid the beach during peak hours to evade the fees. This can lead to risks, as many of these beachgoers enter the water after lifeguards have left for the day. A rise in drownings and ocean accidents led to the formation of the Belmar Water Rescue Team. The independent organization is alerted of occurrences outside beach patrol hours and has saved several lives since.
Belmar is known for its vibrant surf culture, hosting events like the Belmar Pro, a non-WSL sanctioned surf contest, and a yearly surf therapy event that benefits local residents. Surfing is integral to the town’s identity and economy, with many locals working at surf shops or teaching lessons. The town benefits greatly from the revenue generated by its beaches, yet the enforcement of beach badge rules remains a contentious issue.
The local surf community has rallied around the young surfer, with many urging him to take legal action against officer Braswell, who has had multiple complaints this summer. A local lifeguard commented, “This cop was specifically targeting this group of surfers, asking for badges as they came out of the water (no one else, mind you). All because of a minor altercation that happened the day before, so this was all intentional. He has countless complaints for harassing beachgoers. He’s a menace.”
Stab reached out to Liam for comment, but the surfer declined to respond as he is currently seeking legal counsel to pursue a lawsuit. “He’s a nice kid,” Buck said. “He’s not just some random guy. He’s worked in surf shops, taught lessons, and travels all over to surf. I hope he finds a way to get some fucking coin out of this!”
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