Despite an increased presence in security detail, South Carolina Republican Congresswoman Nancy Mace was attacked by an Illinois man on U.S. Capitol grounds yesterday over what appeared to be her views on trans-identifying men in women’s spaces.
“I was physically accosted tonight on Capitol grounds over my fight to protect women,” Mace said in a post on X.
“Capitol police have arrested him. All the violence and threats keep proving our point. Women deserve to be safe. Your threats will not stop my fight for women!”
I was physically accosted tonight on Capitol grounds over my fight to protect women. Capitol police have arrested him.
All the violence and threats keep proving our point. Women deserve to be safe.
Your threats will not stop my fight for women!#HoldTheLine
— Rep. Nancy Mace (@RepNancyMace) December 11, 2024
The Capitol Police told the media that they arrested a person accused of assaulting a United States representative Tuesday evening. The suspect was identified 33-year-old James McIntyre of Illinois, the Capitol Police said. McIntyre is facing charges of assaulting a government official.
“Just before 6:00 p.m., the Member of Congress’ office reported an incident in the Rayburn House Office Building,” the Capitol Police told The Daily Wire. “House Division officers, and agents with the Threat Assessment Section, tracked down the suspect.”
McIntyre reportedly went through security screening before entering the congressional buildings, where the incident apparently occurred.
The Capitol Police specifically said that “the Rayburn House Office Building was open to the public at the time of the incident.”
Yesterday’s incident is the latest threat against Mace after being placed under Capitol Police protection following threats and confrontations as security concerns continue to mount for her after several incidents, including an attempt to attack her on stage at Georgetown University in late November.
Capitol Police protection for House members outside leadership is rare, and is typically reserved for those facing very specific threats, suggesting authorities consider the danger to Mace over her bathroom stand credible.
“Some guy tried to rush the stage last week trying to get at me. I’ve had multiple people in front of Capitol Police that were guarding me come up to me and try to verbally or physically accost me over the last couple of days,” Mace told Piers Morgan at the time.
Mace has been vocal at keeping trans-identifying men out of women’s restrooms, specifically in the United States Capitol and all federal property.
Mace, a rape survivor with PTSD, has intensified her campaign to protect women-only spaces, introducing legislation to extend bathroom restrictions to all federal buildings nationwide.
“There’s no amount of bullying and threats on my life that they’ve made this week that’s going to stop me from this,” she said in late November, promising to “fight like hell” for the protection of women and girls.
“I am more sensitive and aware of how women are abused in private spaces than I ever have been in my 46 years on Earth, and it’s just a deeply passionate issue for me,” she explained.
Mace has amplified her message through social media and merchandising, posting over 300 times about the issue and selling $35 t-shirts featuring a women’s bathroom sign with the slogan “come and take it.”
“The fact that you’re willing to kill a woman over her right to privacy is insanity,” Mace said.
“I feel like the more that they come after me, the harder I’m going to fight back.”