WATCH: Video shows Alabama councilman Thomas Bryant punching Mayor Wayman Newton

Thomas Bryant, an Alabama city councilman, was arrested following a council meeting on Monday for reportedly punching the city's mayor. The councilman was caught on camera assaulting Tarrant's mayor, Wayman Newton, in the parking lot of City Hall.

According to reports, a heated argument between the leaders escalated into an assault when Bryant challenged the mayor to hand in his resignation. In the surveillance footage, Mayor Newton can be seen approaching the councilman and Tarrant Police Chief Wendell Major as they stand beside a pickup truck.

Councilman Bryant, who initially kept his distance from Newton and Major, was suddenly seen stepping forward to knock the mayor in the head. The video further shows Newton running from Bryant following the physical assault. He briefly falls to his knees before standing back up. Wayman Newton appeared to jump several times and yell at his attacker.

Thomas Bryant was placed under arrest by Police Chief Major and escorted to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office jail. He was later released after posting a $1,000 bond. Chief Major told ABC 3340 News:

"I turned around to have the mayor approach me after I was having a discussion with the councilman, the mayor approached. The councilman told me, the mayor wants to see me, I turned around and talked to him. The two exchanged words then the next thing I know the councilman struck the mayor."

According to police, Thomas Bryant was charged with harassment.

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Alabama Councilman Thomas Bryant has a history of racism

A council meeting on Monday ended in violence when an Alabama councilman sucker punched the mayor in the face in a parking lot. According to Mayor Newton, Thomas Bryant made several "veiled threats" at him during the meeting.

Wayman Newton told AL.com:

"We exchanged words and and then he came at me. He sucker-punched me."

The disagreement reportedly stemmed from the reinstatement of Fire Chief Jason Rickels, who had previously pulled a gun on a black realtor in his home. Bryant reportedly has a history of using racial slurs, which includes publicly calling councilwoman Veronica Freeman a "house n*****" during the meeting.

Footage from that meeting shows Bryant standing up and saying the racial slur. Despite the outrage, in July 2021, the local councilman refused to apologize for his actions and said that his words had been taken out of context. He had allegedly only repeated what Mayor Newton had himself said. Newton, however, told AL.com:

"They are trying to expose me for saying something I did not say. All of that was a political stunt that they did not do very well...I never used that phrase to speak about her. Ask them to produce the video."

Bryant's wife claimed that following the release of the video, they received a large number of threat calls and spent days fearing for their lives.