Things got a little more physical than usual on Capitol Hill Wednesday when Tim Sheehy—a former Navy SEAL—helped remove a disruptive protester who stormed a Senate hearing shouting anti-Israel slogans.
The incident occurred during a session of the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services, where a demonstrator suddenly began yelling, “No one wants to fight for Israel!” before attempting to create a confrontation.
That’s when Sheehy stepped in.
Video circulating online shows the freshman senator assisting United States Capitol Police officers as they carried away the resisting protester, identified as Brian McGinnis. McGinnis, 44, is reportedly the Green Party’s nominee for U.S. Senate in North Carolina and describes himself as a Marine Corps veteran and firefighter on his campaign website.
According to footage posted to X by CBS News journalist Alan He, McGinnis resisted officers as they tried to escort him out of the chamber. During the scuffle, he claimed his hand was stuck and later suggested it may have been injured during the removal.
At one point in the video, a bystander asks McGinnis if his hand is okay.
“No, it’s not,” the protester responded.
Others in the room reacted with a mix of outrage and sarcasm. One woman shouted, “This is disgusting!” while another man joked, “Just pull it out!”
Sheehy later addressed the incident on social media, explaining that he simply stepped in to help officers handle the situation.
“Capitol Police were attempting to remove an unhinged protestor from the Armed Services hearing. He was fighting back,” Sheehy wrote. “I decided to help out and deescalate the situation.”
He added that the demonstrator appeared to be looking for trouble.
“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.”
Officials were quick to remind the public that protests inside congressional buildings are prohibited.
“Protests are not allowed inside the Congressional Buildings,” the Capitol Police statement noted. “There are plenty of other spots on Capitol Grounds, outside, where demonstrations are allowed.”
McGinnis did not respond to requests for comment.
Meanwhile, the Senate Republican Conference threw its support behind Sheehy with a post on X that quipped: “Don’t disrupt congressional proceedings. Especially don’t resist law enforcement. And most especially when Tim Sheehy is around.”
The heated moment comes amid escalating tensions following joint U.S.–Israeli strikes against Iran that reportedly killed the country’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, and other top regime officials.
Sheehy, who was first elected to the Senate in 2024 after defeating longtime Democratic incumbent Jon Tester, has quickly developed a reputation as one of the chamber’s more combative newcomers.
Apparently, that reputation now extends beyond politics—and into crowd control.
