'The Wire' star arrested for attacking Sanders supporter
Wendell Pierce grabbed woman by the hair, hit her over head
ATLANTA – Actor Wendell Pierce was arrested over the weekend at an Atlanta hotel after reportedly attacking a woman who professed her support for Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders.
Atlanta Police Department spokesman Donald Hannah said in a statement that Pierce, 52, was arrested early Saturday morning at the Loews Atlanta Hotel.
TMZ reported that Pierce, best known for his role as Baltimore Police Detective William "Bunk" Moreland on "The Wire", struck up a conversation with the woman and her boyfriend that eventually turned to politics. When the woman said she was backing the Vermont senator, TMZ claims, Pierce pushed her boyfriend away before grabbing the woman's hair and hitting her in the head.
The woman and her boyfriend reportedly went to their room and alerted hotel security, who called the police. Hannah's statement says the incident was not significant and was treated as "any other arrest." He says Pierce never indicated he was well-known.
Hannah says the police will share the incident report once it has been completed.
Online Fulton County Jail records show Pierce was booked on a charge of simple battery Saturday and released the same day on $1,000 bond.
Pierce, a supporter of Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton, most recently portrayed Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas in the HBO TV movie "Confirmation."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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