‘You just attacked a member of the US Congress’: Van Orden and CODEPINK member react to RNC attack incident | Local news

MILWAUKEE (WKBT) – Third District Congressman Derrick Van Orden says he was intentionally jostled while waiting in line for an RNC event.

Although he says that he has been hit harder by the air from a hairdryer, he also says that it is a matter of principle.

“She was right here and then jumped into me,” Van Orden said.

Van Orden addressed X and said the protester from the anti-war group CODEPINK had committed an act of political violence that he would not tolerate.

“They asked me if I wanted to press charges and I said definitely, 100 percent, this person needs to be dealt with and hopefully convicted,” Van Orden said.

“If there are some attention-seeking, Hamas-supporting, anti-Semitic Slipknots trying to get their 15 minutes of fame, I’m not going to let them.”

24-year-old Nour Jaghama sees the events quite differently.

“CODEPINK is based on non-violence. This is literally the core value of our organization,” said Jaghama.

She says she was next in line to go through a security check in front of the Pfister Hotel.

“As I was about to move forward, a man came up behind me because I was next in line. I think he was trying to catch up to me and get past me, and he bumps into me quite aggressively – I think intentionally – and I move to the side, kind of bounce off him, and he immediately says, ‘You just attacked a member of the U.S. Congress.'”

A Texas police officer led her aside. Within hours, she was arrested for assault and held for 15 hours. But that afternoon, the county dropped the charges.

“The prosecution said they reviewed the footage, including the bodycam footage of the officer standing right in front of us, and they said after reviewing the evidence they found no violation of Wisconsin criminal law,” Jaghama said.

For Jaghama, it is a relief and an ordeal that she says will not deter her from future peaceful protests.

“My responsibility in this world is to fight for the liberation of my people, and I will literally never stop fighting for Palestine until we are free from the river to the sea.”

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