Sen Manchin (D?-WV) confronted at Wharf garage, drives into protesters

Video of confrontation and car assault shot by Hunger Strike 4 Climate Justice 2 min 54 sec

On the 4th of November, the climate hunger strikers backed by Sunrise DC confronted Senator Joe Manchin (D?-WV) as he left his multimillion dollar yacht to access the parking garage and drive to Capitol Hill. Protesters followed him into the garage. When protesters surrounded his Masarati, Senator Joe Manchin put the car in gear and drove directly into the protesters blocking his car.

Video shows two people in the car, it is reported that the passenger was NOT Manchin, which makes him the driver.

Driving cars into protesters both slow and fast has been a behavior associated with hard fascists and with such priviliged white road ragers as Summer 2020's "Georgetown Karen" who drove her car into Black Lives Matter protesters. This is assault with a motor vehicle but is rarely prosecuted unless the offending motorist rams at high speed and causes serious injuries or death as at Charlottesville.

Manchin has been confirmed by additional video evidence as having driven his high-dollar Masarati himself when a protester was hit. Again, this was a low speed push, but there is no clear line in law nor in physics between a push and a ram. It is also interesting that someone who claims to represent one of the least wealthy states in the entire US can afford a Masarati, whose sticker price is many year's income for most West Virginia residents. Must be all that coal money.

West Virginia voters have a right to know that their Senator drives the same way he votes: with reckless disregard for the safety of those around him. Just as gasoline fuels his car, coal money fuels his career as he drives a wrecking ball into proposed climate provisions meant for the reconciliation budget bill known as the "Build Back Better Act." In addition, WV Division of Motor Vehicles will no doubt want to know about this man's dangerous driving so they can revoke his license.

In addition, Wharf management is going to have to decide what to do about Joe Manchin, who has committed a violent crime on their property with that car attack. He also has a prior record of attracting protesters to the site and has been a nuisance to other boaters as a result.