Police officers beg the country: Do not forget the hell of Jan. 6
The first meeting of the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol attack was perhaps the least surprising but most important session the panel will hold. As the debate on the facts of Jan. 6 descends into another war of truth vs. partisan lies, riveting testimony from four police officers reminded the nation Tuesday that the riot was an assault on democracy — and that democracy survived because real people put their lives on the line in its defense. This reminder was sadly needed as Republican leaders continue to lie about what occurred.
Republican office holders have claimed that the rioters were peaceful. D.C. police officer Michael Fanone described how “I was electrocuted again and again and again with a taser. I’m sure I was screaming, but I don’t think I could even hear my own voice.”
They have claimed the insurrectionists were mere tourists. Capitol Police Sgt. Aquilino Gonell asked, “How do you call an attack on a police officer a ‘tour’ when you see my bleeding hands, when you see all the officers getting concussions, getting maimed, getting fingers shattered, eyes gouged?”
They have claimed that the insurrectionists were well-meaning patriots. Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn recounted how a woman in a pink MAGA shirt screamed at him, “You hear that, guys, this n----- voted for Joe Biden,” eliciting cries of “Boo! F------ n-----!” from a crowd of about 20 people. Sgt. Gonell offered a list of deadly implements the crowd used against officers: “a baseball bat, a hockey stick, a rebar, a flagpole, including the American flag, pepper spray, bear spray.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/07/27/police-officers-beg-country-do-not-forget-hell-jan-6/
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