Adrianne Haney

WXIA-TV, Atlanta

ATLANTA — Actor Wendell Pierce was arrested early Saturday morning at an Atlanta hotel, police said.

According to celebrity gossip website TMZ, Pierce, a staunch Hillary Clinton backer, allegedly physically assaulted a woman supporting Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders after a heated conversation in the Loews Atlanta Hotel lobby around 3:30 a.m. ET.

Officials with the Atlanta Police Department have released little details regarding the incident, but say the arrest happened at the hotel where Pierce was a guest.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution said Pierce is in town shooting the film One Last Thing.

Pierce, who played Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas in the HBO drama Confirmation, is best known for his roles as Detective William "Bunk" Moreland in HBO's The Wire and Antoine Batiste in Treme.

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TMZ reported that Pierce struck up a conversation with a woman and her boyfriend and Pierce became angry when the woman said she supported Sanders. TMZ reported Pierce allegedly grabbed the woman's hair and hit her in the head.



Authorities released a statement that said in part, "The incident ... was treated like any other arrest a patrol officer conducts. Mr. Pierce made no indication he was famous nor did the officer inquire."

Fulton County Jail records show Pierce was booked on a simple battery charge, posted a $1,000 bond and was released.