"Hands off!": Sen. Padilla dragged from Noem news conference and handcuffed

Sen. Alex Padilla was dragged out of a news conference in Los Angeles on Thursday afternoon, after attempting to ask questions of the Department of Homeland Security head Kristi Noem.

The Democrat from California was handcuffed while Noem spoke about the ongoing protests of ICE raids in Southern California.

"We are staying here to liberate this city from the socialist and the burdensome leadership that this governor and this mayor have placed on this country," Noem said.

Padilla spoke up to say that Noem was "exaggerating and embellishing" before being confronted by security. Padilla then identified himself as a senator.

"I have questions for the secretary," Padilla said as he was removed from the room.

Padilla yelled "hands off" before being led away by police and forced to the ground. As he was being handcuffed, an unknown man told Padilla's staffer to stop filming.

"There's no recording allowed out here per FBI rights," the man said. 

Padilla released a statement about the altercation, saying that he'd hoped to get "some answers" about "the deployment of military forces and the needless escalation in Los Angeles." 

"If that’s what they do to a United States Senator with a question, imagine what they can do to any American that dares to speak up," he said.

The Department of Homeland Security also released a statement on the encounter, saying that Noem met with Padilla after the event for a private conversation. 

"Senator Padilla chose disrespectful political theatre and interrupted a live press conference without identifying himself or having his Senate security pin on as he lunged toward Secretary Noem," they said. "Mr. Padilla was told repeatedly to back away and did not comply with officers’ repeated commands. Secret Service thought he was an attacker and officers acted appropriately."

California Gov. Gavin Newsom defended Padilla in a post to BlueSky, calling him "one of the most decent people I know." Newsom said the arrest was "outrageous, dictatorial, and shameful."

"Trump and his shock troops are out of control," he wrote. 

Padilla's fellow Democratic senators also rushed to defend him. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer took his anger to the Senate floor, demanding "immediate answers" for "what the hell went on." 

"I just saw something that sickened my stomach," Schumer said, "the manhandling of a United States Senator."

In the lower chamber, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., called for Padilla's censure.

“I think that that behavior at a minimum rises to the level of a censure,” Johnson said. “I think there needs to be a message sent by the body as a whole that that is not what we’re going to do, that’s not what we’re going to act.”