A man was forcibly removed from a campaign event on Sunday after he approached Sen. John Fetterman and questioned his stance on the war in Gaza. The incident was captured on video and shared by the man, identified as Dan Kovalik, who is a human rights attorney and occasional op-ed writer for Russia Today.
According to Kovalik’s website, he is a lawyer and human rights advocate who previously taught courses on international human rights law at the University of Pittsburgh’s Law School. However, the university clarified that his contract expired in June and was not renewed, and he is no longer affiliated with the institution.
Kovalik’s op-eds for Russia Today have drawn criticism, with the US Department of State labeling the media group as part of a “disinformation and propaganda ecosystem.” In his essays, Kovalik has criticized Ukraine and Western liberals, while also vilifying transgender people.
In the video of the incident, Kovalik can be seen calmly approaching Sen. Fetterman at a campaign event for Sara Innamorato. Kovalik, who claimed to have paid to attend the event, questioned Fetterman’s recent statement about the fighting in Gaza, where he stated that now is not the time to talk about a ceasefire and that a ceasefire could be discussed after Hamas is neutralized.
Kovalik cited the high number of casualties in Gaza and called for a humanitarian ceasefire, pointing out that the Pope and the UN have also called for it. Another man off-camera, who claimed to work for the senator, told Kovalik to direct his questions to him instead. However, Kovalik insisted on speaking directly to Fetterman.
After Kovalik emphasized the importance of the issue, another man told him to leave and forcefully pushed him out of the restaurant. Kovalik attempted to hand Fetterman a flyer before being removed.
Innamorato’s campaign responded to the incident, stating that the man who shoved Kovalik was affiliated with the restaurant hosting the event. Fetterman’s office clarified that the person who removed Kovalik was the owner of the establishment and not associated with Fetterman’s senate office or campaign.
Fetterman’s office emphasized that he values civil discourse with all constituents, including those who disagree with his position on Israel and Gaza. However, Kovalik expressed disappointment that he did not receive an apology from the senator after the incident occurred.
Attempts to reach the restaurant owner for comment were unsuccessful at the time of publication.
Overall, the incident highlights the heated nature of the debate surrounding the war in Gaza and raises concerns about freedom of speech and civil discourse in political events.
