Police: Protesters outside Sen. Hawley home were ‘peaceful’

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Protesters who gathered outside the Virginia home of Republican Sen. Josh Hawley on Monday evening were peaceful and they left when police explained they were violating local picketing laws, police said Tuesday.

The Missouri senator claimed on Twitter that the group had been engaged in “leftwing violence” and claiming "Antifa scumbags" threatened his wife and daughter.  

Officers were called to the Vienna home after someone reported that there were “people protesting in front of the house.” Master Police Officer Juan Vazquez, a spokesman for the Town of Vienna Police Department, told The Associated Press that officers who responded to the scene found that the “people were peaceful.”

Demonstrators went to Hawley's home after he said he would object when Congress convenes Wednesday to affirm Joe Biden’s election victory.

In a tweet, Hawley said the people screamed threats, vandalized and tried to pound open the door to their home.

The group that said it organized the protest, ShutDownDC, posted a response on Twitter.

Organizers for ShutDownDC said they were at Hawley's house for around 30 minutes.

"We sang songs, chanted and shared our stories. A small group of people delivered a copy of the constitution to his door," a Tweet from the group said.