Daily Mail — Queens man, 33, is ARRESTED and hauled across the sand in handcuffs for daring to swim at Rockaway Beach while lifeguards were off duty: 'It was baffling and traumatizing'

Andre Velasquez, 33, and from Briarwood, Queens, was arrested for swimming at Rockaway Beach outside of legal swimming hours on Friday at around 7pm

Aug 8, 2022

By Alastair Talbot —

• Andre Velasquez, 33, went for a dip at the city's seaside Friday at around 7pm

• He was unaware of lifeguard duty in the area ending at 6pm at the time

• The native from Queens recalls observing at least a dozen of Parks Department officers from afar when water was up to his waist

• He was placed into handcuffs after refusing to show ID to park officials

• Velasquez was 'non-compliant' for 30 minutes, a Parks spokesperson said

• The swimmer, though, maintains that he came to shore immediately after hearing a whistle blown

• According to city law, it is considered as illegal to swim outside of after-hours, which start at 6pm

A New York man was arrested on Friday afternoon for defying a city rule that prohibits people from swimming at Rockaway Beach while lifeguards are off duty, before later accusing police of brutally handcuffing and dragging him through the sand. 

Andre Velasquez, 33, had initially gone to the seaside - about 30 miles away from  Manhattan - at around 7pm on August 5 to cool off from local soaring temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean. 

Instead, he was taken into custody in a bizarre arrest made by officials with the New York City Parks Department. Velasquez, who owns a dog-business, recalls observing at least a dozen of Parks Department officers from afar during what was supposed to be a time of relaxation.

Once he came out of the water, Velasquez, who is from Briarwood in Queens, was asked to show some proof of identification by local authorities so that they could write him a summons. 

The man, however, refused to follow instructions and was adamant that he had done nothing wrong.

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