Senator Alex Padilla, a Democrat from California, was handcuffed and forcibly subdued by police during a press conference held by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in Los Angeles on Thursday.
Padilla entered the venue where Noem was discussing the government’s continued deportation strategies in California, amidst rising tensions and protests sparked by recent immigration enforcement measures carried out by the Trump administration.
Following the incident, Padilla’s office released a statement indicating that he was not under detention. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) subsequently attributed the altercation to Padilla, although they confirmed that a 15-minute meeting between the senator and Noem took place afterward.
Footage provided to NBC News reporter Jacob Soboroff by Padilla’s team reveals officers pulling him by the arms after he interrupted the press conference.
“I am Senator Alex Padilla,” he asserted as law enforcement escorted him towards the exit, to which he resisted, attempting to reclaim his ground.
“I have questions for the secretary, because the fact of the matter is, a half a dozen violent criminals that you’re rotating on your, on your,” Padilla articulated, just before he was overwhelmed by the officers and pushed out of the room.
The video documents the moment Padilla was taken to a hallway, where three officers forced him onto his knees, compelled him onto his stomach, and instructed him to place his hands behind his back before cuffing him.
A voice from the video requests that recording devices be turned off in the hallway.
In a statement, Padilla’s office emphasized that he was in Los Angeles to fulfill his Congressional duties, specifically to oversee federal operations in the area.
They explained that he was present at the federal building for a briefing with General Guillot and was listening to Secretary Noem’s comments. When he attempted to pose a question, he was forcibly removed by federal agents, pushed to the ground, and handcuffed.
He is not currently in custody, and the office is working to gather more information regarding the occurrence.
The DHS defended its personnel’s response, suggesting that Padilla was engaging in what they termed “disrespectful political theatre.”
The department claimed that Padilla had not properly identified himself during the interruption and lacked the Senate security pin as he moved toward Noem. However, the video evidence shows that he did announce his status prior to the incident.
Furthermore, DHS asserted that Padilla failed to follow repeated requests from law enforcement to step back, and that Secret Service agents perceived him as a potential assailant, leading to the actions taken by officers.
Nonetheless, DHS noted that following the incident, Noem and Padilla conducted a brief meeting lasting 15 minutes.
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