(OAKLAND, Calif.) A 54-year-old man was arrested Thursday for allegedly assaulting Gov. Gavin Newsom in downtown Oakland, according to authorities.
Newsom was in town promoting small businesses in Old Oakland when he was approached by the 54-year-old on Washington Street.
"This morning, the Governor was approached by an aggressive individual. Members of the Governor's security detail removed the Governor from the situation and the individual was arrested by CHP officers," said the CHP, which provides security for the governor.
CHP officials did not elaborate on the interaction but said that the man threw a water bottle at Newsom.
Newsom did not appear injured or disturbed by the incident according to a nearby group of reporters who heard the interaction. When reporters later asked about the incident, Newsom politely quipped that different people have different ways of saying hello.
The Berkeley man was booked in Santa Rita Jail on suspicion of resisting an executive officer and assaulting a public official. According to the booking log at the jail, his occupation was listed as "pumping gas."
His bail was set for $35,000 and his arraignment is scheduled for Monday at East County Hall of Justice in Dublin.
CHP said it is investigating the incident and have not released the 54-year-old's name.
This all comes as Newsom is embroiled in an ongoing recall battle in which he drastically outpaces his GOP opponents in terms of fundraising. To date, Newsom has raised nearly $16.5 million for the upcoming recall election. Notably, he's raised $9.3 million for his 2022 gubernatorial re-election campaign.
John Cox, the next closest candidate, has raised about $7.7 million, mostly from his own pockets.
The Democratic Party, big tech billionaires, real-estate developers, labor unions and tribal communities are among the biggest donors to Newsom's recall campaign. Notably, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings has reportedly donated more than $3 million to Newsom during the recall effort.