New Jan 6 footage shows dramatic moment security point guns at Capitol rioters
Tense confrontation at door to House chamber on January 6 captured on rioter’s cellphone
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
Dramatic new cellphone video from the Capitol riot introduced as evidence ahead of the sentencing of rioter Damon Beckley, shows the tense standoff at the entrance to the chamber of the House of Representatives on 6 January 2021.
As rioters hurled insults and angry, false claims of election fraud and two Republican members of Congress confronted them through the broken glass, law enforcement officers pointed their firearms at the mob trying to breach the main door to the chamber.
The footage was released to the media following a request by NBC News and provides a clear insight into the motivation of the rioters as they tried to gain access to the floor of the House, where many members, media, and staffers were trapped.
Video and photos already seen from the day show how the doors to the chamber were barricaded by those inside as the mob descended and proceeded to smash the glass of the windowed doors.
Reps Troy Nehls of Texas and Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma scolded the rioters for their actions, with Mr Nehls telling them they should be ashamed.
Both lawmakers voted to overturn the 2020 election results in favour of Donald Trump in an attempt to stop the winner of both the Electoral College and popular vote, Joe Biden, from becoming president.
Beckley can be heard in the video saying: “I drove fourteen hours to get here and stood in the cold for three and a half hours to find out that Mike Pence is a f***ing traitor, man. And I voted for that f***ing dude.”
He adds: “He could’ve done the right thing and certified those legislators, electors, and we wouldn’t be standing here with a nine-millimetre pointed at me right now!”
The rioters’ unhinged shouts on the video include an apparent assertion within earshot of law enforcement: “They can only kill so many of us.”
During the riot, in another part of the building, Ashli Babbitt, a 35-year-old US Air Force veteran from San Diego, California, was shot dead by a police officer as she climbed through the window of a barricaded door.
On the video, a rioter can be heard calling the officers with their weapons drawn: “F***ing paedophiles!”
They add: “We know about your paedophilia.”
Later in the standoff, a rioter says through the broken glass of the door: “If we’ve got to hang a bunch of crooked congressmen, we’ll do that, okay?”
Toward the end of the video clip, reinforcements of Capitol Police arrive and clear the doorway ushering the angry mob away.
“Shame on your f***ing selves,” a rioter yells as they move away.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments