Gun control activist pursuing charges after being ‘kicked’ by Marjorie Taylor Greene

Spokesperson for GOP lawmaker tells The Independent that group ‘surrounded’ her

A young gun control activist who accused Marjorie Taylor Greene of kicking her has said she is pursuing possible legal action against the pro-gun congresswoman.

Marianna Pecora was among a group from the advocacy group Voters of Tomorrow who were questioning the Republican about her stance on gun control following a series of mass shootings on Thursday, when she was apparently “kicked” out of the way by Ms Greene.

While the Republican could be heard shouting “excuse me” during a video of the confrontation in Washington DC, a member of her staff claimed: “You’re blocking a member of Congress. You can’t block members of Congress.”

Ms Pecorra tweeted afterwards: “Marjorie Taylor Greene just kicked me and told Santiago Mayer (the founder of Vote for Tomorrow) to move to another country.” She continued: “She literally stepped on my heels”.

Asked whether or not legal action would be pursued by Voters of Tomorrow, Ms Pecora referred her Twitter followers to a statement by Mr Mayer, who said his legal team had been consulted.

He wrote: “To answer the most prevalent question about pressing charges: we’re talking to our legal team and keeping our options open.”

Responded to the apparent threat of legal action on Friday, a spokesperson for Ms Greene told The Independent: “These deranged leftists surrounded Congresswoman Greene and harangued her as she tried to leave a press conference. The lies about Congresswoman Greene will not be tolerated.” 

Ms Greene said in a series of tweets on Thursday night that the advocacy group members were “foolish cowards (who) want the government to take away guns & the rights of parents to defend their children in schools”.

“You have to be an idiot to think gun control will create a utopian society where criminals disarm themselves and obey the law. ‘Gun-free’ zones kill people,” she added.

Voters of Tomorrow said in a statement emailed to The Independent on Thursday night: “In addition to yelling at our Executive Director, a Mexican immigrant, to ‘go to another country,’ she (Ms Greene) physically assaulted another young staffer.”

“Gen Z is fed up with politicians who continue to put our lives in danger, and this aggression is one of the most visible examples yet of what we are up against,” it added.

Ms Greene told the group that Second Amendment – the right to keep and bear arms – could stop gun violence despite a number of horrific mass shootings this year, including in Uvalde, Texas, where 19 children were killed.

Democrats and gun control activists have since called for tighter laws although face opposition from many Republicans and pro gun lobbyists.