During the hearing, an activist with the peace group Code Pink accused a Blackwater employee of threatening his life. The activist, Tighe Barry, stood before Blackwater officials as they exited the room during a recess. Barry held up a sign and called for an end to the use of private contractors like Blackwater. Video footage of the incident shows a Blackwater employee saying something to Barry as he passes by.
Tighe Barry: “We do not need to hire these murderers. There, you get a threat from this guy. He says he’s going to kill me. This is how they react. This is how they run their business. They are trained murderers. They’re killers.”
Barry was referring to Blackwater employee Johnnie Walker, a former program manager for Blackwater subsidiary Paravant in Afghanistan. Barry says he’s filed a complaint against Walker with the Capitol Police.