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By James Bickerton
News Reporter
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Marjorie Taylor Greene has shared alleged social media posts from protesters who were arrested at her town hall event in Acworth, Georgia, on Tuesday, describing them as "extremely violent."
Newsweek contacted Representative Greene for comment on Friday via telephone and voicemail message outside of regular office hours. The two accounts Greene referenced, 'Andrew Nelms' on Facebook and 'kiyanaxo10' on Threads/Instagram, were also contacted by direct messages on the respective platforms.
Why It Matters
On Tuesday three demonstrators were arrested, two of whom were tased, during chaotic scenes at Greene's town hall in Acworth.
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Greene is just the latest in a succession of Republican lawmakers to be berated at town hall meetings, after House Speaker Mike Johnson advised his colleagues to stop holding them in March.
What To Know
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday Greene wrote: "Local Democrats are spreading lies and claiming these were just innocent constituents, but they are not.
"One, Johnny Keith Williams, was charged with 'Terroristic Threats and Actions' and multiple other charges."
"And the other two arrested, Andrew Russell Nelms and Kiyana Davis, have extremely violent social media posts showing the desire to murder people, one post even naming President Trump, VP Vance, and Elon Musk."
Acworth police said that Johnny Keith Williams, 45, of Dallas; Andrew Russell Nelms, 40, of Atlanta; and Kiyana Davis, 28, of Dallas, were all arrested in connection with the protests. Williams and Nelms were arrested on suspicion of simple battery on a law enforcement officer and obstruction. Davis was accused of using vulgar language.
Speaking to Newsweek by telephone, an Acworth Police Department spokesperson confirmed Williams had also been charged with "terroristic threats and actions" and said this had been mistakenly missed off the initial press release.
Police said six other people were removed from the event without incident whilst a peaceful demonstration took place outside.
Greene's X post included screenshots of what she claimed were social media posts from Nelmes and Davis which appeared to advocate or celebrate political violence.
In response to the December 2024 shooting of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, a Facebook account, which Greene said belonged to Nelms, posted: "At least they're scared. I wonder how many it'll take..."
They also commented: "What happened to UHC's CEO is why the 2nd amendment exists. Hopefully it happens again. And again. And again."
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Greene also shared posts from Threads user kiyanaxo10, who she identified as Davis.
In one post kiyanaxo10 wrote: "someone needs to off trump, jd vance, and elon... like thats the solution to everyones problems and I don't feel bad for saying it either."
Another responded to a post about an arson attack on Tesla vehicles in Las Vegas by posting: "Now THIS is what I like to see. We need to start f****** s*** up playing nice isn't feasible anymore."
Newsweek has not independently verified that the posts in question were made by Nelmes and Davis.
Greene concluded her X posts by writing: "Thanks to the heroic and brave actions by the police, my townhall was a SAFE and a HUGE success!! Democrats are the party of violence and insanity. They have lost their way."
What People Are Saying
In a statement posted on Facebook the Acworth Police Department said: "This evening Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene hosted her town hall meeting at the Acworth Community Center. The Acworth Police Department in conjunction with support from the Cobb County Police Department, Cobb County Sheriff's Office, Kennesaw Police Department, and the Georgia State Patrol worked diligently to ensure the safety of all attendees, including Congresswoman Greene.
"While preparing for the event, crime analysts discovered online posts which suggested the potential for disruptive behavior at the event. Plans were made in advance with this intelligence in mind...
"Approximately six attendees were escorted from the premises without issue. Three individuals were arrested, two of them requiring tasers to be deployed in the process. While attempting to remove the subjects from the event, officers were threatened, physically resisted, and harmed in the process. One of those arrested provided identification that placed them outside of Congresswoman Greene's district."
What Happens Next
Unless the charges are dropped Williams, Nelms and Davis are likely to face trials regarding the accusations against them. Town hall meetings are likely to continue acting as a lightning rod for those angry about the Trump administration's policies.
Update 4/17/25, 10:07 a.m. ET: This story has been updated with additional information from the Acworth Police Department.
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