US House Speaker Mike Johnson releases Jan. 6th Capitol Riot footage

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
17 Nov 2023 23:51

Over 100 police officers sustained injuries at the Capitol, where the riot temporarily impeded Congress from certifying President Joe Biden's 2020 electoral victory over Trump.

In this image from US Capitol Police security video, released and annotated by the Justice Department in the Statement of Facts supporting an arrest warrant, Shane Jenkins, circled in red, is seen holding an object near the Lower West Terrace tunnel at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington (AP)

On Friday, Speaker of the US House, Mike Johnson, announced the release of footage from inside the US Capitol during the January 6, 2021 riots as part of an initiative to enhance transparency.

"Today, I am keeping my promise to the American people and making all the January 6th tapes available to ALL Americans,” Johnson wrote on social media platform X, noting that the restoration of trust in the US government requires a commitment to transparency.

Johnson provided a link to the website of the House Administration Committee, where the footage has been posted for public access.

Horrifying footage released from Mike Johnson, of the violent January 6th insurrection that was worse than 9/11 and Pearl Harbor combined: pic.twitter.com/efGtmggMLI
— Savanah Hernandez (@sav_says_) November 17, 2023

Over 100 police officers sustained injuries at the Capitol, where the riot temporarily impeded Congress from certifying President Joe Biden's 2020 electoral victory over Trump.

Besides attacks on officers, the Capitol sustained serious damage to its infrastructure.

According to the Associated Press, around 1,200 individuals have faced charges related to the Capitol riot at the federal level. Of this total, over 800 have either pleaded guilty or been convicted through trial by a jury or judge.

Sentencing has been carried out for over 700 individuals, and nearly two-thirds of them have received prison terms spanning from three days to 22 years.

Ahead of the elections: Trump vs. Biden

This comes ahead of the upcoming US presidential elections which are scheduled to be held on November 5, 2024.

While the release of the footage may potentially discourage Republicans from voting for former US President Donald Trump, several reports have recently highlighted that chances for President Joe Biden to get reelected may be compromised due to the heavy toll his administration had on the country's debt.

On Wendesday, a Michigan state court ruled that former Trump is eligible to stay on the state's 2024 presidential primary ballot for the Republican Party after a local activist group Free Speech for People attempted to bar Trump from running for office by filing an “insurrection” lawsuit against him.

The release of Capitol riots video footage, timed just before the upcoming US presidential elections, introduces a dynamic element that could influence voter sentiment.

But concerns about Biden's reelection prospects remain very high amid his backing of "Israel" in the regime's genocidal campaign against the people of Gaza.