The operator of a Twitter account parodying the Queensland premier, Campbell Newman, has been charged with public nuisance after he stood next to Liberal National party campaigners in Brisbane wearing an “I’m with stupid” T-shirt.

Iain Fogerty’s arrest, which took place at a Fortitude Valley intersection where LNP and Labor campaign teams had lined up in opposition, was blasted by Labor senator Claire Moore as “just ridiculous”.

Fogerty was released on watch-house bail and is due to appear in the Brisbane magistrates court on 4 February.

He told Guardian Australia he was still seeking legal advice, but declined to comment further.

A police spokesman said a 44-year-old man had been charged with public nuisance but declined to elaborate.

Moore, who was campaigning with the Labor candidate Grace Grace against the LNP member for Brisbane Central, Robert Cavallucci, told the Courier-Mail the man was not associated with the Labor campaign but had mingled with the LNP.

Iain Fogerty being placed in a police paddy wagon. Photograph: Judi Jabour/Twitter

She said the police response, which reportedly involved three patrol cars and a paddy wagon, was “totally over the top”.

“Rather than telling the bloke to just move on, they arrest him,” she said. “I have been campaigning for more years than I care to recall and I have never seen anything like this before.”

Young LNP president Luke Barnes, one of Cavallucci’s campaigners, said Fogerty had been acting aggressively towards LNP supporters.

“One of their supporters came over to our side and got quite aggressive and intimidating with our members,” Barnes told Fairfax.

Fogerty writes withering polemics against the LNP on Twitter as @can_do_campbell and using Newman’s picture.