Video footage shows escalating confrontation between Burchett, protester

Video footage shows an escalating confrontation between GOP Rep. Tim Burchett (Tenn.) and a Israel-Hamas protestor outside of the Longworth House Office Building last week. 

The altercation occurred Thursday after Burchett told a demonstrator to “come over here,” according to reports from Politico. 

A verbal back and forth commenced before the protestor turned away. 

Burchett approached the man and teased him for “quivering,” Politico reported. Upon hearing those words, the protestor turns around quickly and his chest makes contact with Burchett, who then shoves him with both hands.

Eventually, Capitol Police separated the two as the demonstrator told the crowd, “I didn’t touch him. I didn’t touch him.”

Burchett’s office said the altercation was the fault of the demonstrator.

“The guy got in the congressman’s face,” Will Garrett, a Burchett spokesperson, told Politico on Monday. 

“They bumped stomachs and the congressman removed him from his face. People have a protected First Amendment right to protest and say whatever filthy and nasty stuff they want to the congressman, but they don’t have the right to physically bump into the congressman and the congressman acted in self-defense.”

Garrett said Burchett had declined to press charges as offered by Capitol Police. The law enforcement agency declined to comment on the ongoing investigation. 

“Everyone has a right to their opinion, and they can say all of the filthy stuff they want. But they don’t have the right to bump the congressman,” Garrett told The Hill in a statement last week. 

Rep. Rich McCormick (R-Ga.) also witnessed the altercation.

“With political violence on the rise, no representative should have to tolerate someone aggressively closing in on them. Frankly, I thought Rep. Burchett showed a lot of restraint,” McCormick said in a statement to Politico.

McCormick’s office did not immediately respond to The Hill’s request for comment.