Police union president defends Capitol protesters: “Very little destruction of property”
Chicago Police Union president John Catanzara told Chicago-based NPR affiliate WBEZ that the pro-Trump protesters who broke into the Capitol on Wednesday were “very different than what happened across this country all summer long in democratic-ran cities and nobody had a problem with that.”
He continued his defence the demonstrators, saying that “there was no arson, there was no burning of anything, there was no looting, there was very little destruction of property.”
Catanzara also commented on the allegations of widespread voter fraud President Donald Trump has promoted, telling the station that he didn't “have any doubt that something shady happened in this election… You’re not going to convince me that that many people voted for Joe Biden. Never for the rest of my life will you ever convince me of that. But, again, it still comes down to proof.”
How can you certify an election when the numbers being certified are verifiably WRONG. You will see the real numbers tonight during my speech, but especially on JANUARY 6th. @SenTomCotton Republicans have pluses & minuses, but one thing is sure, THEY NEVER FORGET!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2021
In reference to the outbreaks of fights between Capitol police and Trump protesters, Catanzara also noted there was “no fights. There’s no, obviously, violence in this crowd. They pushed past security and made their way to the Senate chamber. Did they destroy anything when they were there? No.”
One Capitol police officer died of injuries sustained during the chaos on Wednesday, with the Capitol police reporting that the man "was injured while physically engaging with protesters," before subsequently returning “to his division office and [collapsing]," a statement said, as reported by ABC News.
A Trump-supporting 14-year-veteran of the U.S. Airforce, Ashli Babbitt, was shot and killed by an officer inside the Capitol building.
Three other attendees of the protest died of medical emergencies, according to D.C. police.
People are scaling the walls of the Capitol. https://t.co/QXZYfZTrBx pic.twitter.com/IkzreeiYuF
— Keean Bexte (@TheRealKeean) January 6, 2021
When asked whether or not the people who stormed the Capitol were treasonous, Catanzara said “if the worst crime here is trespassing, so be it. But to call these people treasonous is beyond ridiculous and ignorant.”
You can see more of our coverage from Washington by Rebel reporter Keean Bexte, who was on the ground during the day, at RebelWashington.com.
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