CHICAGO − A 70-year-old retired emergency room doctor claims he was biking down an empty street on Monday close to a protest for the Gaza war when a Homeland Security officer detained him for trespassing.

Charles Steinbruegge, from the Lakeview area in Chicago, set out to see the demonstrations occurring near the United Center, where Democrats are meeting for their national convention this week.

Steinbruegge, a retired Army doctor and veteran of 20 years, considers himself politically moderate and feels “agnostic” about the Israel-Hamas conflict. He was not actively protesting but was merely observing. He stated that he rode down a quiet street, avoiding an area that police had closed off, when an officer confronted him, stating he was in a restricted zone, and arrested him on the spot.

“It was a complete mess. It was a disaster. They acted foolishly. They were just trying to show off their authority since there wasn’t anything happening in that area,” Steinbruegge expressed.

Cyclist Claims He Unknowingly Passed Security Opening

Steinbruegge reported spending nearly 12 hours in two different freezing jail cells before being released, still in what he described as his “ridiculous” biking shorts and cycling shoes at 4 a.m. on Tuesday.

According to the Chicago police, a misdemeanor trespassing charge and a citation are pending.

When he left his home on Monday afternoon, Steinbruegge intended to bike for 20 minutes to check out the protest before continuing his usual lakefront route, which he rides four or five times per week.

He mentioned he passed through an opening in the security fence on North Washington Boulevard, which other reporters, photographers, and pedestrians were also using without issue. Driven by curiosity, he headed towards a group of officers gathering at the end of the street, unaware that he was in a restricted area as there were no visible signs indicating this and no announcements instructing him to stay away.

“It seemed like the entrance,” Steinbruegge remarked regarding the opening in the fence, suggesting it was the only passage to navigate from one street to another.

Cyclist Describes Police as ‘Overzealous’

Despite explaining to the Homeland Security officers that he was a retired Army doctor, Steinbruegge was still arrested.

He criticized the police response as “overzealous” and “disproportionate.”

“They seemed to be searching for someone to assert their authority over,” he said. “All he needed to do was ask me to turn around or even offer to guide me back.”

On the same day, Chicago police arrested several individuals after a group of protesters deviated from a peaceful march and dismantled parts of the security fencing surrounding the United Center. Later, the police initiated actions to disperse individuals from a nearby park known as Park 578. Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling commended his officers’ actions during the hectic circumstances.

For Steinbruegge, the experience was an utter “nightmare.”

“I appreciate that they wanted to maintain security, but a little common sense should also be exercised,” he concluded.