In 2004, photographer Mark Burdett was shooting a protest rally against the Iraq War on Market Street, when police, mistakenly thinking he had knocked over a motorcycle, forced him down and broke his thumb while making an arrest.

Burdett sued the police for false arrest, at which point they accused him of jaywalking during the incident. Last year, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a ruling to dismiss his claim.

Last night, Colbert got a hold of the story and had his way with it:

Hat tip to SFist.

Mark BurdettMark Burdett

Video: Stephen Colbert Makes Mock of "San Francisco Anarchist"