Chaos erupted during a Senate Armed Services Subcommittee hearing on military readiness when Republican Sen. Tim Sheehy of Montana assisted U.S. Capitol Police in removing protester Brian McGinnis, who was later charged with assaulting officers and resisting arrest.
Key Takeaways
Chaos erupted during a Senate Armed Services Subcommittee hearing on military readiness when Republican Sen. Tim Sheehy of Montana assisted U.S. Capitol Police in removing protester Brian McGinnis, who was later charged with assaulting officers and resisting arrest.
- Protester Brian McGinnis interrupted the hearing shouting about U.S. military involvement in Israel
- Sen. Tim Sheehy helped Capitol Police remove McGinnis after he resisted ejection from the room
- McGinnis allegedly injured three officers and suffered a broken arm during the altercation, but his campaign manager disputes claims of assault
- McGinnis faces multiple charges including assault on police officers and resisting arrest
The incident occurred Wednesday as McGinnis, a Marine Corps veteran and Green Party candidate for Senate in North Carolina, stood up during the hearing and shouted, "America does not want to send its sons and daughters to war for Israel." According to multiple reports, Capitol Police immediately moved to remove him from the hearing room.
Video of the incident shows McGinnis struggling with two officers as they attempted to corral him. Sheehy, a former Navy SEAL, stepped in to help, and together they managed to push McGinnis out of the room. During the struggle, McGinnis wedged his arm between the door and its frame, resulting in an audible cracking sound that suggested his arm might be broken.
Capitol Police stated that "an unruly man who started to illegally protest during a hearing put everyone in a dangerous position by violently resisting and fighting our officers’ attempts to remove him from the room." Three officers were treated for injuries after working to remove McGinnis, who was also treated. McGinnis faces three counts of assault on a police officer, three counts of resisting arrest, and a charge of crowding, obstructing, and incommoding related to the unlawful demonstration.
Sheehy said in a statement that he decided to help out and deescalate the situation. "This gentleman came to the Capitol looking for a confrontation, and he got one," Sheehy wrote on X. "I hope he gets the help he needs without causing further violence."
Mark Elbourno, who manages McGinnis' Senate campaign, disputed Sheehy's claim that McGinnis was assaulting officers. "He wasn’t assaulting anybody," Elbourno told CBS News. "... He just wanted to be heard [and was] speaking loud and clear."
McGinnis has vowed to continue his congressional campaign despite the incident, stating on X that it had only made him more determined. He is among five candidates in the race to replace outgoing Republican Sen. Tom Tillis.
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