Capitol Police and protester treated for injuries after disruption of Senate Armed Services hearing in Washington

What happened in the Senate hearing room

A protest inside a Senate hearing room on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, ended with one demonstrator arrested and three U.S. Capitol Police officers treated for injuries after a struggle in a Senate office building.

The incident unfolded during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing scheduled to receive testimony on the current readiness of the Joint Force in Room SH-216 of the Hart Senate Office Building. Video from inside the room shows a man standing and shouting during the proceeding before officers moved in to remove him.

Arrest and allegations

U.S. Capitol Police identified the demonstrator as Brian C. McGinnis of North Carolina. Police said he was arrested and faces six charges: three counts of assaulting a police officer and three counts of resisting arrest and unlawful demonstration.

Capitol Police said the protest began during the hearing and escalated as officers attempted to escort McGinnis out. The department said the demonstrator resisted removal and fought officers’ efforts to take him from the room, resulting in injuries requiring treatment for McGinnis and three officers.

• Date and location: March 4, 2026, Hart Senate Office Building, Senate hearing room.

• People involved: Brian C. McGinnis; U.S. Capitol Police officers; Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.).

• Reported injuries: One protester and three officers treated following the scuffle.

• Charges listed by police: Assaulting a police officer (three counts); resisting arrest and unlawful demonstration (three counts).

Senator involvement and contested moment at the doorway

Footage shows officers pulling McGinnis toward an exit while he held onto a doorway. Sen. Tim Sheehy, a Republican member of the Armed Services panel and former Navy SEAL, moved to assist officers as the removal continued near the door.

Capitol Police said McGinnis “got his own arm stuck in a door” while resisting and attempting to force his way back into the hearing room. In the same sequence, other people in the room can be heard shouting that the protester’s hand was stuck as officers continued efforts to move him out.

Capitol Police said the protester’s resistance during removal created a dangerous situation and that injuries were serious enough to require medical treatment for the protester and three officers.

Context: the protest message and public profile

Video from the hearing captures McGinnis protesting U.S. military operations involving Iran, including statements opposing sending Americans to war. Separately, an online video posted under his name earlier that day described his intent to speak out at the Capitol about war-related decisions.

McGinnis has also been publicly described online as a Green Party candidate for U.S. Senate in North Carolina in the 2026 election cycle.

What happens next

The criminal case will proceed through the District’s legal process, where charging documents, any court appearances, and evidence—including the widely circulated video footage—are expected to shape the formal record. Capitol Police have not released additional details about the officers’ injuries beyond confirming that all three were treated.