Police at the Capitol siege on Jan. 6 struggled to control mobs storming the U.S. Capitol. On Wednesday (Feb. 10), the second day of Donald Trump’s impeachment trial, Democrats released footage and audio recordings to depict the severity of the riots from the perspective of responding cops.
The impeachment managers showed videos of officers — who were outnumbered by rioters — trying their best to protect the government building. While cops like Eugene Goodman were successful in keeping Congressmen like Sen. Mitt Romney safe, others were wounded while on-duty. Capitol Police Caroline Edwards specifically suffered a head injury from the siege, per USA Today.
In audio recordings played during the trial, officers were heard begging for more assistance. “We’re still taking rocks, bottles and pieces of flag and metal pole,” one cop said. Another was heard saying, “We have been flanked, and we’ve lost the line.”
Capitol Police are blaming current leadership for leaving them defenseless during the attack. As a result, they plan to hold a vote of no confidence on Thursday (Feb. 11). The vote, according to acting Chief Yogananda Pittman, will target top leadership and highlight “the sentiment and concerns of some of our officers.”
“The officers are angry, and I don’t blame them,” added Gus Papathanasiou, the chairman of the U.S. Capitol Police Labor Committee. “The entire executive team failed us, and they must be held accountable.”
According to USA Today, a total of 125 Capitol Police officers were physically assaulted, and more than 70 were injured during the insurrection. Officer Brian Sicknick passed away as a result of his injuries, while two other cops died by suicide in the days following the riots. Members of the Metropolitan Police Department, National Guard and other agencies were hurt as well.
In the wake of the Capitol attack, the USCP is reportedly “offering counseling and wellness support” to all staff and their family members “given the emotional toll so many are experiencing.”