Commission Needed to Study Violent January 6 Insurrection on U.S. Capitol
“I experienced the most brutal, savage hand-to-hand combat of my entire life let alone my policing career, which spans almost two decades.” -D.C. Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone
D.C. Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone was recently on with CNN’s Don Lemon in an emotional recounting of the violent January 6, 2021, insurrection on the U.S. Capitol. Fanone recalled the battling crowd that attacked police officers who were protecting the Capitol.
Working with other officers to hold back the violent horde, Fanone was dragged by Trump supporters into the midst of the mob where he was beaten, tased, attacked with a flag pole, and threatened with his own gun. He suffered a heart attack and concussion during the insurrection and is now dealing with a traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder.
It’s past time to put together a January 6 Commission to get to the bottom of this attack on democracy itself.
Officer Fanone said during the interview that he wanted people to understand the significance of January 6. Thousands, he said, came to the capitol bent on violence and murder. Police officers responded, and he expressed surprise that more weren’t killed.
All those officers risked their lives that day. Fanone wants his body camera footage released to show just how violent and brutal it was.
He stressed that the most important thing to know about that day was that it was real and did not happen in a movie studio or whatever conspiracy is currently being passed around. Or to hear it in his direct words, “January 6th was real. It didn’t happen in a f**king movie studio in California.”
He added that there were large numbers of police officers who were selfless and courageous and almost lost their lives that day. Many are still experiencing the emotional trauma and physical injuries. Fanone considers them heroes, and told Lemon, “It’s been very difficult seeing elected officials and other individuals kind of whitewash the events of that day or downplay what happened.”
Let’s repeat that: “It’s been very difficult seeing elected officials and other individuals kind of whitewash the events of that day or downplay what happened.” For those who need a reminder, here’s a video of the violence on January 6.
He continued, “I experienced a group of individuals that were trying to kill me to accomplish their goal. … I experienced the most brutal, savage hand-to-hand combat of my entire life, let alone my policing career, which spans almost two decades. It was nothing that I had ever thought would be a part of my law enforcement career nor was I prepared to experience.” (video)
When interviewed immediately after January 6, Fanone made a comment that brought it all home when he said, “A lot of people have asked me my thoughts on the individuals in the crowd that, you know, that helped me or tried to offer some assistance,” he said. “And I think kind of the conclusion I’ve come to is like, thank you, but f**k you for being there.”
Invest 10 minutes listening to Officer Fanone’s interview. It needs to be seen by everyone who is gaslighting or whitewashing about the violent events on that day – electeds, former president, supporters of the former White House administration.
Believe the police officers who were attacked, and show them that blue lives really matter. All should urge their representatives in Congress that a January 6 Commission is needed, just as there was after 9/11, that could answer who, what, when, where, and why. It’s time to get answers about the violent insurrection on the U.S. Capitol.
