North Kingstown beach access dispute gets ugly; homeowner arrested after breaking umbrella

NORTH KINGSTOWN – A waterfront property owner was arrested Sunday after he allegedly antagonized a family that was sitting on the beach near his house, breaking their Tommy Bahama beach umbrella when they refused to leave.

The incident unfolded after 63-year-old Christopher Brady and his wife and young daughter set up their umbrella and chairs just south of North Kingstown Town Beach. According to the police report, the family was below the high tide line – meaning they were on a portion of the beach that the public has the right to use under Rhode Island's new shoreline access law.

But 61-year-old Andrew McClatchy, who owns the house next to North Kingstown Town Beach, objected to their presence. He said the family was above the high tide line and on his property, according to the report, and later told police that he thought Brady was a "Marxist antagonizer."

McClatchy could not be reached by phone on Monday, and did not respond to an email seeking comment. He faces misdemeanor charges of vandalism and disorderly conduct.

How the confrontation developed

According to the police report, McClatchy's wife and adult daughter first came out and confronted the family. Then McClatchy "began to videotape Mr. Brady from his cellphone and yelled at him, 'Identify yourself; tell me your name!'"

"Mr. McClatchy was acting out and verbally antagonizing Mr. Brady, asking him where he lives and asking him to move to a different location on the beach," the police report states.

Eventually, McClatchy asked Brady if he planned to leave. "No, call the cops," Brady responded.

According to the police report, McClatchy grabbed Brady's blue Tommy Bahama umbrella, pulled it out of the sand and threw it into the water. McClatchy's daughter attempted to intervene, telling him to walk away, while Brady's daughter retrieved the umbrella from the ocean.

McClatchy continued to "heckle" Brady, asking his name and sticking his phone in Brady's face, according to the police report. Brady asked McClatchy if he wanted to fight, and asked how old he was.

"Mr. McClatchy then put his cellphone away and said to Mr. Brady, 'Come at me!' and 'Bring it!'" the police report says. "Mr. McClatchy kept trying to walk towards Mr. Brady in an aggressive manner while Mrs. McClatchy got in front of him to prevent an altercation."

Calling Brady a vulgar name, McClatchy once again grabbed the family's beach umbrella, the police report says. He threw it down on the sand, bent the plastic pole until it broke, and walked away yelling "Bring it!"

"Mr. McClatchy challenged Mr. Brady to a physical fight and used profane language in front of Mr. Brady’s' daughter," the report states.

Homeowner 'admitted he got out of control'

Multiple bystanders called the North Kingstown Police Department to report an "active disturbance," and one witness captured video of the incident. When officers showed up, the situation had cooled down, and McClatchy "admitted that he got out of control and damaged Mr. Brady's umbrella," according to the police report.

Access to the shoreline south of North Kingstown Town Beach is a hot topic on the Facebook group Saving RI Coastal Access/Rights Of Way, where multiple people have described being harassed and accosted by McClatchy and others while trying to use the waterfront.

Trespassing accusation: Newport man behind shoreline access dispute that turned into viral video arraigned

Some activists have taken issue with a "Private Property – No Trespassing" sign on the upper portion of the beach, suggesting that it should be removed or knocked down. McClatchy told police that he "believed there were Facebook groups against him" because of the new shoreline access law, according to the arrest report.

"Mr. McClatchy was upset due to people going on the beachfront near the end of his property," the report states.

McClatchy was briefly jailed before being released on $1,000 personal recognizance, and is due in court Sept. 1.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: North Kingstown dispute ends in vandalism, disorderly conduct charges