'The Wire' and 'Treme' Actor Wendell Pierce Arrested on Battery Charge: Cops

Wendell Pierce, best known as Det. William "Bunk" Moreland in "The Wire" and Antoine Batiste in "Treme" was arrested in Atlanta.

An actor best known for his work on HBO's The Wire and Treme was arrested this weekend on a simple battery charge, police in Atlanta said.

Wendell Pierce was arrested Saturday at the Atlanta Lowes Hotel, where he was a guest, Atlanta police Officer Donald T. Hannah said in a statement to InsideEdition.com.

The New Orleans native is best known for his roles as Detective William "Bunk" Moreland on The Wire and Antoine Batiste on Treme.

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According to police, Pierce made no indication he was famous nor did the officer inquire.

"The incident did not rise to anything significant so no special notification was made... it was treated like any other arrest a patrol officer conducts," Hannah said.

I regret that what started as a civil political discussion escalated to the level that it did. (1/3)

— Wendell Pierce (@WendellPierce) May 17, 2016

Although what has been reported thus far differs in important respects from what actually occurred, (2/3)

— Wendell Pierce (@WendellPierce) May 17, 2016

I have confidence that the judicial process will work as it should. (3/3)

Wendell Pierce

— Wendell Pierce (@WendellPierce) May 17, 2016

In a series of tweets posted Monday night, Pierce suggested the incident did not go down the way the media is claiming. 

"I regret that what started as a civil political discussion escalated to the level that it did," he tweeted. "Although what has been reported thus far differs in important respects from what actually occurred, I have confidence that the judicial process will work as it should."

Fulton County Jail records indicate Pierce was arrested on one charge of simple battery on Saturday and later released on $1,000 bond.

According to the APD incident report, accuser Elena Baca and her friends started a political conversation with Pierce and his girlfriend "which got Mr. Pierce upset."

Pierce is an avowed Clinton supporter. According to reports, the victim was a Bernie Sanders supporter.

Baca told police that Pierce began to push her. As she and her friends headed to their room, Baca told police Pierce stuck his arm in the door.

As he tried to enter the room, Baca said she and her friends tried pushing him out, at which point they say he began to hit Baca in the head and grab her hoodie.

When police arrived, both parties declined medical treatment and Pierce was transported to the county jail.

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Following the arrest in Atlanta, Pierce decided not to speak at a graduation ceremony at a New Jersey college on Wednesday.

"This morning Rutgers University- Newark was informed by actor and humanitarian Wendell Pierce that in order to assure that commencement 2016 will be a celebration of the accomplishments of our students free of distractions, he is declining to join us and consequently must decline the conferral of an honorary degree," Rutgers officials said in a statement.

TV news anchor Soledad O'Brien will reportedly speak at the commencement instead.

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