Wisconsin Democratic state Sen. Tim Carpenter said he was attacked by “a mob” of protesters Tuesday evening near the capitol after taking a photograph.
Carpenter represents parts of Milwaukee and said he was using his cell phone to capture video of protesters in Madison. Carpenter was attacked after he took a photograph of the protests, he said according to The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
The state senator posted a video showing what happened just prior to the assault and two protesters can be seen running over to him, with one of them grabbing his phone.
“I don’t know what happened … all I did was stop and take a picture … and the next thing I’m getting five-six punches, getting kicked in the head,” Carpenter said according to The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
“Sad thing I’m on their side for peaceful demonstrations — am a Gay Progressive Dem Senator served 36 years in the legislature,” he added in a statement to The Washington Post.
Sen. Carpenter tells me he was just taking a picture of the protesters when they attacked him.
He’s heading to the Capitol, where he said he was planning to do work tonight
— Lawrence Andrea (@lawrencegandrea) June 24, 2020
Dylan Brogan, a staff writer for Isthmus, tweeted shortly after the incident that Carpenter “was just punched in the face by Madison protesters because he was filming” and that “several people attacked him.”
Carpenter “collapsed walking towards the Capitol” after the incident, according to Lance Veeser, a sports director at WKOW. An ambulance was called, according to Veeser. Carpenter’s condition was not known as of Wednesday morning, The New York Times reported, citing his office.
“Punched/kicked in the head, neck, ribs. Maybe concussion, socked in left eye is little blurry, sore neck & ribs. 8-10 people attacked me. Innocent people are going to get killed,” Carpenter tweeted.
I took this pic- it got me assaulted & beat up. Punched/kicked in the head, neck, ribs. Maybe concussion, socked in left eye is little blurry, sore neck & ribs. 8-10 people attacked me. Innocent people are going to get killed. Capitol locked- stuck in office.Stop violence nowPlz! pic.twitter.com/Zw2hdfYG66
— Tim Carpenter (@TimCarpenterMKE) June 24, 2020
Carpenter decried violence against others in a statement to The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. (RELATED: Wisconsin Protesters Tear Down Statue Of Civil War Hero Who Fought To End Slavery)
“I want to be clear: violence against any person — whether in the middle of the street in broad daylight, at home trying to sleep, going for a run, or happening upon a protest as was the case last night — is wrong,” he said. “It should never be tolerated.”
Carpenter’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller.