Footage of the incident showed security agents forcing Padilla to the floor and handcuffing him.
By Our Reporter
A United States senator from California, Alex Padilla, was forcibly removed from a news conference held by the US Homeland Security Secretary, Kristi Noem, at the Wilshire Federal Building in Los Angeles on Thursday.
The incident occurred when Padilla attempted to ask Noem questions about controversial immigration arrests that have rocked America’s second-biggest city.
As Noem began speaking, Padilla stood up and said, “I’m Senator Alex Padilla. I have questions for the secretary.”
However, before he could proceed, two men pushed and shoved him from the room.
Despite the senator’s attempts to ask questions about the targeting of immigrants, he was dragged out of the room.
The Department of Homeland Security claimed that Padilla had “lunged” at Noem, prompting the security agents to intervene.
Assistant Secretary Trisha McLaughlin wrote on social media that “@SecretService thought he was an attacker and officers acted appropriately.”
However, video evidence seems to contradict this claim. Noem later called Padilla’s interruption “inappropriate” and mentioned that he hadn’t requested a meeting with her. Interestingly, the US senator and Noem met for 15 minutes after the news conference.
The incident sparked a rapid response from Democratic leaders. California Governor Gavin Newsom condemned the incident, stating, “This is outrageous, dictatorial and shameful. Trump and his shock troops are out of control. This must end now.”
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass also expressed her outrage, calling the episode “absolutely abhorrent and outrageous.” She emphasized that Padilla is a sitting United States Senator and that the administration’s violent attacks on the city must cease.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer demanded an investigation into the “despicable” incident, stating that it “reeks of totalitarianism. This is not what democracies do.”
He added that Padilla was legitimately in the building to ask questions about the situation in California, which everyone wants answers to.
The incident occurred amid ongoing protests in Los Angeles, sparked by an immigration crackdown ordered by Trump officials.
Despite the mostly peaceful nature of the demonstrations, there have been instances of violence, including cars being torched and rocks thrown at police.
In response, the White House deployed 4,700 troops to the city, drawing objections from local officials and police who claimed they had the situation under control.
