Protester interrupts Senate impeachment trial, yelling 'Schumer is the devil'

Man tackled as he shouts at chamber door during Senate Impeachment Trial on Jan. 22, 2020. - Copyright Bill Hennessy

By Gary Grumbach and Julie Tsirkin and Deepa Shivaram and Haley Talbot and Frank Thorp V and Adam Edelman with NBC News Politics

Published on 23/01/2020 - 03:02

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The man was arrested and charged with unlawful conduct.

A protester on Wednesday evening interrupted the Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump as Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D.N.Y., was presenting his arguments.The protester was tackled and escorted out of the gallery within seconds. Jeffries, one of the seven House impeachment managers tasked with presenting the case against Trump, resumed his remarks, but the protester continued to scream loudly just outside the chamber, on the third floor near the press gallery.The man could be heard yelling, "Schumer is the devil," "Dismiss the trial of impeachment," and he repeatedly mentioned abortion as he was arrested and led away by Capitol Police.He was charged with unlawful conduct, said Eva Malecki, a Capitol Police spokesperson.

The protester, an older white male, had been spotted in the area throughout the day. The Senate press gallery seemed to know immediately who he was and noted that they'd dealt with him before.House prosecutors, led by Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., have 24 hours over three days to convince Senate jurors that Trump committed impeachable offenses. After that, Trump's lawyers will present their defense.