An anti-war protester who interrupted a Capitol Hill hearing Wednesday was ejected on camera with the help of a GOP senator and the footage showed how he’ll be a lot worse for wear for the experience.
According to CBS News, the protester, former Marine Brian McGinnis of North Carolina, who’s running for Senate with the Green Party, allegedly assaulted officers with the U.S. Capitol Police during a Senate Armed Services subcommittee hearing.
The protest was directed against the United States’ operations against Iran.
At the hearing, McGinnis began screaming in protest, telling senators that “America does not want to send its sons and daughters to war for Israel!”
McGinnis was removed, but he didn’t go quietly.
Footage shows the man being being dragged out of the hearing by both the Capitol Police and GOP Sen. Tim Sheehy of Montana, himself a former Marine.
However, McGinnis wrapped his hand around the hinged end of the door as he Sheehy and the Capitol Police saw him out.
Something had to give. And, as you can tell from the sound, it was McGinnis’ arm.
WARNING: The following video contains graphic footage that some viewers will find offensive.
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GRAPHIC VIDEO: An antiwar protester’s arm can be seen literally snapping (with a loud crunch heard through the mic) as former Marine Sen. Tim Sheehy joined security to subdue the out of control activist disrupting a Senate hearing.pic.twitter.com/CTYFBEYyRO
— The Western Journal (@WesternJournalX) March 5, 2026
A crunch was clearly heard on the audio as one of his co-protesters yelled, “His hand, his hand! Oh! His hand!”
Despite that, he continued to hold on and refused to let go even though police told him it was time to go in no uncertain term.
“A sitting U.S. senator just broke his hand,” one of McGinnis’ confederates yelled.
He was escorted out of the room and was asked his hand was OK.
“No, it’s not,” McGinnis said, adding that his left arm was broken.
An official with McGinnis’ senatorial campaign told CBS News that McGinnis had been taken to George Washington University Hospital, and his condition was unknown as of 7:30 p.m. Eastern.
The staffer, Mark Elbourno, said that McGinnis hadn’t assaulted the officers despite the video.
“He wasn’t assaulting anybody. … He just wanted to be heard [and was] speaking loud and clear,” he said. “He was assaulted, actually. They broke his arm.”
Capitol Police, meanwhile, said that McGinnis now faces three counts of assaulting a police officer, three counts of resisting arrest and one count of crowding, obstructing and incommoding.
McGinnis, the Capitol Police said in a statement, “put everyone in a dangerous position by violently resisting and fighting our officers’ attempts to remove him from the room.”
“Protests are not allowed inside the Congressional Buildings,” the Capitol Police said. “There are plenty of other spots on Capitol Grounds, outside, where demonstrations are allowed.”
Sheehy, meanwhile, said that he acted after McGinnis started “fighting back,” saying he “decided to help out and deescalate the situation.”
Capitol Police were attempting to remove an unhinged protestor from the Armed Services hearing. He was fighting back. I decided to help out and deescalate the situation.
This gentleman came to the Capitol looking for a confrontation, and he got one. I hope he gets the help he… https://t.co/MU1THo8fKA
— Tim Sheehy (@TimSheehyMT) March 4, 2026
“This gentleman came to the Capitol looking for a confrontation, and he got one,” Sheehy wrote on social media.
“I hope he gets the help he needs without causing further violence.”
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