THORNTON, Colo. (KDVR) — A Thornton man has been arrested for allegedly violating a protection order that mandated he stays 15 feet away from the mayor.

Dariush Namazi told the Problem Solvers he was taken into custody on Thursday at a Ward 4 Ice Cream Social at the Fallbrook Farms Park. Thornton Mayor Jan Kulmann was in attendance, as was Namazi.

Kulmann was granted the protection order on July 18 after she showed an Adams County magistrate judge a body camera video that she said showed Namazi invading her personal space and making her feel concerned for her safety.

As FOX31 previously reported, Namazi has taken on the character of Danny Kulmann, a MAGA supporter of former President Donald Trump who dresses up in a red T-shirt with a picture of Thornton’s mayor on his chest and a “Make America Great Again” baseball cap.

Namazi said his aim was to engage in political parody to show the mayor as an extreme right-wing Republican, something she has told the Problem Solvers she isn’t.

Namazi explains his side of the story

In an email, Namazi told the Problem Solvers he felt the arrest was made in bad faith.

He described the following circumstances:

“At the Ward 4 ice cream social, I was talking to other citizens about politics in our city. While talking with one such citizen, the mayor decided to walk directly at me and this other citizen. When I noticed the mayor, I immediately and quickly backed away. The mayor proceeded to talk to the person I had been mid-conversation with before she came to us. Officer Wilson, who had been close by and keeping watch of me at the event, walked over and told me that I was within 15 feet and put me under arrest. I did not move toward the mayor, I wasn’t in the immediate vicinity of the mayor before she walked over, and I immediately and quickly backed away without a single word or gesture. She walked directly at me. When she got to where I was she immediately went into conversation with the person I had been talking to.”

FOX31 has filed a public records request for body camera video of the incident.

Namazi was taken to the Thornton police station to pose for a mug shot before he was released on a summons to appear in court at a future hearing.

“I believe this is a very clear use of the restraining order to do nothing else but shut down my political speech,” Namazi said.

Thornton mayor says Namazi didn’t obey distance restriction

Kulmann denied that. In an email to the Problem Solvers, she wrote, “I’m disappointed that Mr. Namazi continues to act as if this protection order is not real or that his intimidation and stalking of me is a game. During the temporary order, he chose to come close to me twice and was warned. He has done so again twice with the permanent order. I’m frustrated and concerned that his behavior continues to escalate even as his actions will lead to serious consequences.”