United States Capitol.
Stephanie Keith, AFP Getty Images
On January 6, four police officers faced assault and racial slander while defending the U.S. Capitol from riots by supporters of then President Donald Trump. They were the first to testify before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee of Investigation on Tuesday.
This is the first hearing of a nine-member panel composed of seven Democrats and two Republicans.
Read | Racial slander, “violence in the Middle Ages”: investigation into the US Capitol riots begins
Here are some quotes from Tuesday’s hearing:
Benny Thompson
“Some people are trying to deny what happened. Whitewash it….Let’s make it clear. The mob who tried to deprive us of democracy was driven here by lies.”
Republican Representative Liz Cheney
“If the responsible person is not held accountable, if Congress takes action irresponsibly, this will still be the cancer of our Constitutional Republic.
U.S. Capitol Police Aquilino Gonell
“The mob called me a’traitor’,’disgrace’, and shouted that I (an army veteran and policeman) should be’executed’.”
“…What we suffered that day was like something on the medieval battlefield. We fought side by side, fighting inch by inch to prevent violent mobs from invading the Parliament building with the intention of subverting our democratic process.
“…After the Capitol finally returned to order, after a few hours of exhaustion, I returned home at nearly 04:00 on January 7. I had to push my wife away and hug me because my body was covered with Chemical substances,” Gonell said, holding back tears. “I can’t sleep because the chemicals are reactivated after the shower, and my skin is still burning.”
“…As an American immigrant, I am particularly proud to be able to defend the U.S. Constitution and our democracy on January 6.”
