In a wild moment in the U.S. Senate on Wednesday, May 4, Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-MT) Joined Capitol Police in removing a former Marine protester from an Armed Services Subcommittee hearing. CBS News reporter Alan Ho identified the protester as Brian McGinnis.
The incident occurred during a Senate Armed Services Subcommittee hearing where senior military officials testified about military preparedness, CBS News reported.
Sheehy said in a statement to X that McInnes was “seeking confrontation.” He wrote, “Capitol Police attempted to remove a disturbed protester from an Armed Forces hearing. He was fighting back. I decided to help and de-escalate the situation. This gentleman came to the Capitol looking for a confrontation, and he got one. I hope he gets the help he needs without causing further violence.”
Capitol Police said in a statement that McInnis “violently resisted and fought our officers’ attempts to remove him from the room, putting everyone at risk.”
Learn more | Sen. Tim Sheehy helps oust anti-war activist Brian McGinnis for protesting Iran conflict at Capitol; video goes viral
“Protests are not permitted inside the Capitol,” Capitol Police said. “There are many other locations outside the Capitol where demonstrations are permitted.”
Let’s look at five key events following the incident.
Five things to know when Brian McGinnis loses his hearing:
- McGinnis was wearing what appeared to be a Marine Corps uniform. Ho Ailun write on X“McInnes is Green Party candidate running for North Carolina Senate”
- A video of the confrontation shows McGinnis yelling “no one wants to fight for this” Israel” As he was being escorted out, he grabbed the door of the hearing room with his left hand, which seemed to be stuck between the door and the door frame. Onlookers shouted: “His hand, his hand! oh! His hands! OMG. Oh, sh**. ” “gentlemen. gentlemen. gentlemen. Let go of your hands. Let go of the door. let go. Just let it go,” the officers can be heard calmly telling McGinnis.
- People in the room accused Sheehy of “breaking” McGinnis’ hand. “Senator broke his hand, a sitting United States Senator just broke a Marine’s hand!” shouted others in the room. Shea left the scene and exchanged expletives with an audience member who apparently insulted him. McGinnis was later heard saying his left arm was broken.
- Mark Elbourno, a Green Party official in charge of McInnis’ Senate campaign, said McInnis was arrested and taken to George Washington University Hospital. U.S. Capitol Police said McInnis faces three counts of assault on a police officer, three counts of resisting arrest and one count of crowding, impeding and impeding for interfering with the committee hearing, meaning he allegedly blocked an entrance or passage.
- Elberno said he attended the hearing with Firefighter McGinnis because they decided to hear what the officials had to say. He claims McInnes urged the Senate to stop funding the war Iran Because he “could no longer accept their lies.” He insisted McInnes did not attack police, saying: “He didn’t attack anyone… he just wanted to be heard [and was] Speak loud and clear. Indeed, he was attacked. They broke his arm. “
