Tea Party protesters reportedly spit on one lawmaker, call others ‘faggot’ and the n-word.

By Amanda Terkel

Today’s Code Red rally appears to be one of the most raucous Tea Party gatherings on Capitol Hill yet. In addition to protesters shouting with rage at federal lawmakers, Sam Stein reports on some more disturbing incidents:

A staffer for Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) told reporters that Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-M.D.) had been spit on by a protestor. Rep. John Lewis (D-G.A.), a hero of the civil rights movement, was called a ‘ni–er.’ And Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) was called a “faggot,” as protestors shouted at him with deliberately lisp-y screams. Frank, approached in the halls after the president’s speech, shrugged off the incident.

But Clyburn was downright incredulous, saying he had not witnessed such treatment since he was leading civil rights protests in South Carolina in the 1960s.

“I heard people saying things that I have not heard since March 15, 1960 when I was marching to try and get off the back of the bus,” [said Clyburn.]

Clyburn added, “I think a lot of those people today demonstrated that this is not about health care…it is about trying to extend a basic fundamental right to people who are less powerful.” TPM, Mother Jones, and The Hill have reports of similar behavior by the Tea Party protesters.

Update On Twitter, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) wrote that he was "grateful for the thousands of patriots who are storming the Capitol today protesting government healthcare and defending freedom." M.C.L comment: Odd how things turned protest one president Jim DeMint would probably accuse you of hiding terrorists in your basement, scream racist and homophobic slurs, spit and threaten to do violence towards another president and members of that president party and Jim DeMint would call you an American hero.. What Jimmy DeMint doesn't know those protesters from the short bus that Freedom Works brought in already vote Republican, you're not expanding your base Jimmy those couple of thousand or so old racist right wing crap stains protesters are your voting base. But here's the bright side sane, honest,fair and reasonable people are seeing who the Republicans are trying to latch up with. The tea bag protest has shown health care is not the issue, hating the brown skin guy with a funny name in the white house is.