By Katharine Jackson
WASHINGTON, March 5 (Reuters) - A man protesting the U.S. and Israel's strikes on Iran was injured in a struggle with U.S. Capitol Police and Republican Senator Tim Sheehy on Wednesday.
The man, Brian McGinnis, a former Marine who is a Green Party candidate for U.S. Senate in North Carolina, interrupted a Senate Armed Services hearing shouting "Israel is the reason for this war, America does not want to fight for Israel."
A video of the incident verified by Reuters showed officers and Sheehy attempting to haul McGinnis, who was dressed in military uniform, out of the doorway as his hand was pinned behind the open door.
"No one wants to fight for Israel," McGinnis shouted, as onlookers called attention to his hand, which was trapped in the hinge of the door, when a cracking sound was heard.
ANGER OVER IRAN STRIKES
Tensions have escalated since a massive military campaign against Iran began on Saturday, plunging the Middle East into a new and unpredictable conflict. The U.S. and Israeli militaries struck sites across Iran, triggering retaliatory Iranian attacks against Israel and nearby Gulf Arab countries.
A website representing McGinnis' campaign states that he went to Marine boot camp days after graduating from high school and that he served for four years. The Instagram profile linked to it describes him as a veteran, firefighter and father of four.
In a post on X, Sheehy, who represents Montana, said he got involved to help defuse the altercation.
"Capitol Police were attempting to remove an unhinged protester 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 needs without causing further violence," Sheehy wrote.
Three officers were treated for injuries and "the suspect, who got his own arm stuck in a door to resist our officers and force his way back into the hearing room, was also treated," Capitol Police said.
McGinnis, 44, faces charges for assault on a police officer, resisting arrest, and obstructing during an unlawful demonstration, police said.
It was unclear from the video what injuries McGinnis sustained during the altercation. McGinnis did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
(Reporting by Katharine Jackson; Editing by Scott Malone and Bill Berkrot)
