US Capitol Police describe facing crowds ahead of January 6 convention According to Reuters
© Reuters. United States Metropolitan Police Caroline Edwards testifies before the United States House of Representatives Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 attack on the United States Capitol, on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., June 9, 2022 REUTERS / Jonathan Ernst
By Doina Chiacu
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A police officer who suffered a traumatic brain injury at the hands of rioters during last year’s attack on the US Congress has described scenes of violence and chaos – including scenes bloody and on the ground – in testimony Thursday before the congressional panel investigating the attack.
U.S. Capitol Police Officer, Caroline Edwards, was one of two first-hand witnesses to appear at the first hearing of the House selection committee examining the attack on January 6, 2021. She describes how she described how her injury and what she found when she finally arrived to safety behind a line of the Washington Metropolitan Police.
“What I saw was just a war scene. It was like what I saw in the movies. I couldn’t believe my eyes. There were officers on the ground. You know, they’re bleeding. They’re bleeding.” throwing up.” … I slipped in people’s blood,” she testified.
The committee showed a video clip of Edwards being injured while she was trying to contain a crowd of former President Donald Trump’s supporters with two of the metal bike racks police were using. used as an obstacle.
“I felt the bike rack on my head and I was pushed backwards and my foot caught on the stairs behind me. And my chin hit the handrail – I was already black by then. … My head was broken. clamp. concrete stairs behind me.”
Edwards said she returned to duty after regaining consciousness.
More than 100 policemen were injured that day and one died the next day. Four officers later died by suicide.
Edwards told the committee she was proud to wear her uniform and serve her country. But on that day, she was referred to by rioters as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s dog, incompetent and evil.
“They dared to question my honor,” Edwards said. “They have dared to question my loyalty and they have dared to question my obligations.”
