Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) helped several law enforcement officers to physically eject a former Marine protester who interrupted a hearing on Capitol Hill on March 4, 2026, who was objecting to the joint efforts of the United States and Israel in Operation Epic Fury. Things took a violent turn that ended with Brian McGinnis’ arm being broken.
The incident was captured on video and a clip of the altercation is now going viral on social media. In the video, you can hear an audible snap and actually see the arm being broken in disturbing detail. McGinnis, a veteran of the Marine Corps, is currently running for office as a Green Party candidate in the North Carolina Senate race.
Shortly after the situation was resolved, McGinnis said that his arm was broken in the scuffle with police and the senator. The U.S. Capitol Police are accusing the veteran of “violently” assaulting officers. The event unfolded during a Senate Armed Forces subcommittee hearing featuring testimony from senior military officials concerning the topic of military readiness.
According to CBS News, a half-hour into the hearing, McGinnis started yelling, stating, “America does not want to send its sons and daughters to war for Israel.” Officers with the Capitol Police Department intervened, attempting to remove McGinnis, who was decked out in full military dress uniform, from the room. He then fought back and resisted their efforts, getting into a physical struggle with the officers.
As police fought to get McGinnis to the doorway of the hearing room, Sheehy bolted from the dais and assisted the officers in lifting him and ejecting him from the hearing room. While they were struggling, McGinnis stuck his left hand between the door and the frame. The video shows Sheehy trying to dislodge the arm. Someone then accuses the senator of breaking the veteran’s hand.
Later, someone asked McGinnis if his hand was okay and he replied, “No, it’s not.” The veteran was escorted out of the room by law enforcement while Sheehy took his seat. Outside the room, McGinnis can be heard on the clip saying his left arm was broken. Green Party official Mark Elbourno, who is McGinnis’ campaign manager, spoke with CBS News and revealed the Marine had been arrested and transported to George Washington University Hospital. Elbourno stated that, at the time, he was not sure of McGinnis’ condition.
U.S. Capitol Police put out a statement regarding the incident, saying McGinnis is now facing three counts of assaulting a police officer, three counts of resisting arrest, and one count of crowding, obstructing and incommoding. The last charge means he was allegedly blocking an entrance or passageway. Elbourno stated that he was present at the hearing with McGinnis, who currently works as a firefighter, because they wanted to hear what the subcommittee officials had to say.
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He then claims that McGinnis stood up and started yelling as a means of pressing the Senate to stop providing funds for the war with Iran because he “couldn’t take their lies anymore.” Elbourno says that McGinnis never assaulted the officers. “He wasn’t assaulting anybody. … He just wanted to be heard [and was] speaking loud and clear,” he said in comments made to CBS News. “He was assaulted, actually. They broke his arm.”
However, Capitol Police say that the Marine veteran “put everyone in a dangerous position by violently resisting and fighting our officers’ attempts to remove him from the room.” The agency added that McGinnis “got his own arm stuck in a door to resist our officers and force his way back into the hearing room.” The statement also said that three officers were treated for injuries by local emergency medical services.
“Protests are not allowed inside the Congressional Buildings,” the Capitol Police went on to say. “There are plenty of other spots on Capitol Grounds, outside, where demonstrations are allowed.” In response to the incident, Sheehy published a post on X, saying, “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.”
Featured Image: screenshot from embedded video