By Joe Johnson
A Roswell man was arrested in downtown Athens after following a minor altercation with a fan of the local hockey team.
A police officer on bicycle patrol last Friday night noticed a group of males dressed as bananas confronting a pair of Rock Lobster fans.
The two groups exchanged words while posturing but then appeared to go their separate ways.
However, one of the bananas peeled away from the bunch and followed the hockey fans, and the officer watched as 20-year-old Omar Mashaal stopped and pushed one of them.
While speaking with him, the officer recognized signs of intoxication and smelled an odor of alcoholic beverage.
Mashaal was arrested for disorderly conduct and underage consumption of alcohol.
He bonded out of jail several hours later.
Lyft driver and CCN photographer Mandy King reported seeing dozens of college-age folks in banana costume for the Banana Bar Crawl event being held that night downtown.
Participants dressed as bananas visit multiple bars on the same night, receiving access passes to participating establishments. Prizes are awarded.
Police did not say whether the Rock Lobster fans were wearing costumes.