The United States Capitol Police on Tuesday claimed that video purportedly showing their officers “escort” January 6 defendant Jacob “QAnon Shaman” Chansley through the halls of Congress was misconstrued by the media, adding that the police were merely attempting to “deescalate” the situation.
In the security footage released by the Fox News host, Capitol police officers can be observed guiding Chansley past numerous other law enforcement officers outside the Senate chamber doors. As Chansley walked by, the additional officers made no effort to apprehend him.
After escorting Chansley to few locked entrances to the Senate chamber, the officers ultimately helped him open another door and enter the room. Then they escorted him to various entrances of the chamber that appear to be locked. Eventually, they helped him open a door, and he enters the chamber.
“Before this video was recorded, a violent group of people fought through multiple police lines and illegally broke into the U.S. Capitol, which was closed for a Joint Session of Congress,” Capitol Police told Just the News, citing remarks made by one of the the officers in HBO’s “Four Hours” documentary.
“I knew ahead there was no way we could all get physical with them, so I took it upon myself to try to talk to them,” said Capitol Police.
“Moments earlier, our officers and agents had to evacuate the Senate chamber, which was closed to the public, to rush elected officials and staffers to safety. After that, multiple people snuck into the chamber. The officer was vastly outnumbered by rioters. At this point, it is clear the officer is trying to get everyone out of the chamber,” the law enforcement agency added.
Capitol Police noted that the officer had asked Chansley: “Any chance I could get you guys to leave the Senate wing?” before calling for backup on his radio instructing “several other Capitol Police and DC Metropolitan Police Department officers to clear the Senate Chamber.”
After Carlson released the controversial security tapes on air Monday night, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) called for the full and total release of all footage to the public, along with a “complete catalog” of all “feds” who were secretly present among the election integrity protestors that day.
“The [tapes] need to be released. In fact, there was a Rasmussen poll that just came out that showed over 80 percent, 76 percent of Democrats and 86 percent of Republicans, say that the video should be released and they should,” the Congressman said.
“Tell us who they were, let’s watch the videos and let’s see what they did because there’s some really strange behavior on those videos of people behind the police lines in plain clothes like, touching them on the shoulder, talking in their ear, walking around boundaries as if they weren’t even there,” Massie continued.
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This news and commentary by Andrew White originally appeared on Valiant News.
