Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI) said he was attacked while attending the Republican National Convention on Tuesday by who he said appeared to be a member of CODEPINK, a pro-Palestinian group that is often seen protesting and confronting lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
Van Orden said he was “assaulted” while waiting in line for an event and that he believes the protester was apprehended by police. The Wisconsin Republican denounced the incident as “political violence” that must be handled on a wide scale.
“Republicans have been intimidated and targeted for years including the attempted assassination of President Trump and we will no longer standby and allow lawlessness,” he said in a post on X. “There is no place for political violence in this country and I have repeatedly called for people who choose this path to be prosecuted to the greatest extent of the law. Nothing will change until these people are held accountable.”