PROVO — A man accused of attacking another man who was using his cell phone to film a protest in Provo has been charged.
Stephen Chase Mattei, 36, of Provo, was charged Monday in Provo Justice Court with assault, a class B misdemeanor.
On Aug. 29, during a protest in front of the Provo Police Department, Mattei, who was wearing a red bandana covering his face and was holding a multi-colored shield, approached a man filming the rally with his cell phone and tried to knock the phone out of his hands, according to a police affidavit.
According to the man with the cell phone, Mattei “approached him and put a shield up in front of (him) attempting to block his view. (The victim) then claimed that Stephen pushed up against him with a shield and then took a swing in (his) direction hitting his phone,” the affidavit states.
Mattei claimed he was trying to prevent the man from filming children. But when police looked at the video, they observed Mattei trying to use his shield to police the man’s view, according to the affidavit.
“Stephen Mattei is then captured on video camera lowering his shield and swinging with his right arm aggressively at (the man),” the affidavit states.
Even when the man put his phone down, police stated it appeared Mattei continued to approach him in a threatening manner.
According to a search warrant affidavit filed in 4th District Court, “After multiple attempts to block the victim from recording, Stephen became very agitated and then swung a closed fist at the victim hitting the victim in the hand and almost knocking the phone from the victim’s hand. Stephen was arrested at the scene.”