Shocking testimonies of four police officers on the assault on the US Capitol: “I thought I was going to die”

The United States was forced to face the horror of the assault on the Capitol with him Testimony of four of the police officers who confronted the crowd of supporters of former President Donald Trump (2017-2021) and what they had to endure shots, abuse Yes perforation.

Some agents even have they thought they were going to lose their lives defend both the building and the lawmakers who were inside to move forward with a formal step after the victory in the November elections of Democratic candidate and current president, Joe Biden.

“I could feel how much oxygen I was losing and I was like ‘this is how I’m going to die’, defending that entry.”Narrated Sergeant Aquilino Gonell of the Capitol Police.

The testimony of Gonell, born in the Dominican Republic, captivated the small room where the first hearing of the committee promoted by the President of the House of Representatives, the Democrat Nancy Pelosi, to investigate the assault on January 6, in which five people died, including a policeman.

Gonell described January 6 as a “medieval battle” in which the agents attempted to defend “inch to inch“The Capitol of a mob that showed violence”terrifying and devastating“And that she was armed with knives, sticks, bats, pepper spray and shields that had been taken from the police.

More afraid than in Iraq

The sergeant, who with 25 years he fought in the Iraq war, he assured that on January 6 he had no more fear at the Capitol that during all his military service in this competition. “In Iraq you were in a war zone, but nothing from my experience in the military or as a police officer prepared me for what we faced on January 6”, he claimed.

That day, Gonell was beaten with the pole of an American flag and, as a result, injured both hands, left shoulder, left calf and right foot. In addition, Trump supporters sprayed him with so many chemical sprays that his skin burned for hours.

After the assault, he had to take a weak medical, suffered a operation and waiting for you one year of rehabilitation.

“We are not asking for medals or recognition, what we want is justice and accountability. For most people, January 6th is something that has happened for a few hours, but for those of us on the inside, it’s not over yet. We continue to have constant trauma every day with physical and mental injuries ”, says Gonell.

The courtroom listened in silence to the testimony of Gonell and the other three officers, who on occasion They even expressed their anger at the attitude of members of the Republican Party, traditionally the political force of “law and order”.

Angry at Republican “indifference”

In this regard, Agent Michael Fanone said that what hurt the most was not being close to death on January 6, but the “indifferenceWhich members of Congress showed their fellow police officers. “It is shameful!”he cried, hitting the table with his fist.

“Nothing, really nothing, prepared me for how I should address the members of Congress who still deny the events of that day.”said Fanone, who works for the local police in Washington and rushed Jan.6 to help Capitol Hill officers.

The testimonies of the agents seek to give a human face to the violence of that day and to the convoluted investigation of the Capitol, fractured by political colors.

The Republican leadership tried to play down what happened and some of its members, close to Trump, have even spread conspiracy theories that allege without evidence that the attackers were members of leftist movements and not sympathizers of the former president.

Before the hearing, during a press conference, the leader of the Republican minority in the House of Representatives, Kevin mccarthy, considered the investigation a “fraud” and accused Pelosi of trying to get political profit.

Pelosi, however, tried to make the commission seem bipartisan. and appointed two moderate Republicans as members: Adam Kinzinger and Liz Cheney, daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney (2001-2009) who was ousted from the Republican leadership for refuting Trump’s unsubstantiated allegations of voter fraud .

Just the beginning

Today’s hearing marks the start of a long road. In the coming weeks, the committee will have the power to subpoena former members of the Trump administration and members of the Republican Party who spoke to it on the day of the assault on Capitol Hill.

The objective of the committee is explain why the assault took place, who is responsible and what can be done to prevent another similar event. Trump has already been the subject of a second trial (“Accused“) from which he was acquitted for having encouraged his supporters to march towards the Capitol.

So far, some 550 people have been charged with charges related to the assault., including 165 people accused of crimes of aggression against the authority.

(By Beatriz Pascual Macías – EFE)

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