During a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on March 4, 2026, Senator Tim Sheehy (R-Montana) assisted Capitol Police in removing a protester who was opposing recent military actions in Iran. The incident, captured on video, shows the man, dressed in a Marine Corps uniform, being physically escorted out of the hearing room while loudly protesting. The protester was identified as Brian McGinnis, a former Marine and Green Party Senate candidate from North Carolina.
According to video footage, McGinnis shouted opposition to U.S. military involvement on behalf of Israel. When Capitol Police attempted to remove him, he resisted, even holding onto a door hinge to prevent being moved. Senator Sheehy joined the police in trying to lift the man out by grabbing his legs. There were bystanders who expressed concern that Sheehy may have caused an injury, but there is no clear evidence that the protester sustained any serious harm during the removal.
Senator Sheehy later addressed the incident on social media, stating that the protester was “unhinged” and resisting removal. He explained that he intervened to help deescalate the situation and added, “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.”
Brian McGinnis, identified through reports and his campaign information, has served four years in the Marine Corps and was running as a Green Party candidate for the U.S. Senate in North Carolina. The demonstration took place amid ongoing debates over the U.S. administration’s military actions in Iran.
The confrontation highlighted heightened tensions within the Capitol as lawmakers conduct hearings related to national security and ongoing conflicts. Neither Senator Sheehy nor Capitol Police have issued further statements since the event.
