Laura Ingraham says Capitol police beaten by Trump mob have ‘nobody to blame but themselves’

‘Despite the crowds they had known for weeks would show up at the Capitol on 6 January, the Capitol police couldn’t hold the Capital perimeter on that day,’ said the Fox News host

Fox News' Laura Ingraham attacked Capitol Police officers on her Wednesday night show. Following a speech about her perceived failures of Dr Anthony Fauci, she went on to discredit officers: “Fauci has no one to blame but himself, ditto for the Capitol police who testified on Wednesday”.

Fox News has traditionally been pro-police, but Ms Ingraham has gone in another direction and is now accusing the Capitol Police of not doing their jobs properly on 6 January.

“Despite the crowds they had known for weeks would show up at the Capitol on 6 January, the Capitol police couldn't hold the Capital perimeter on that day. That in itself is a scandal. Instead of examining why that happened, they turned to blaming President Trump, who they all obviously despise,” she said.

The attack came after Ms Ingraham did an award show skit on The Ingraham Angle, in which she introduced “The Angle Awards for today's best performances”, mocking police officer testimonies alongside footage of Tuesday's 6 January committee hearing.

“The best performance in an action role the winner is Michael Fanone,” said Ms Ingraham who also gave an award for the best use of exaggeration in a supporting role “the winner is Aquilino Gonell”.

Michael Fanone, Aquilino Gonell, Harry Dunn and Daniel Hodges accounted in front of the committee their disturbing experiences during the capitol riots, which included racial abuse, assaults, and fearing for their lives.

Mr Fanone explained how he had been electrocuted and suffered a heart attack, concussion and brain injury after he was attacked by insurgents during the riot.

“As I was swarmed by a violent mob, they ripped off my badge, they grabbed and stripped me of my radio, they seized ammunition that was secured to my body, they began to beat me with their fists and with what felt like hard metal objects,” said Mr Fanone in his first-hand account.

“At one point I came face to face with an attacker who repeatedly lunged for me and attempted to remove my firearm. I heard chanting from some of the crowd: ‘get his gun and kill him with his own gun’. I was electrocuted again and again and again with a taser. At the hospital doctor told me I suffered a heart attack, I was later diagnosed with a concussion, a traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder.”

Officer Dunn's abuse was racially motivated: “I told him to just leave the Capitol, and in response the yell ‘no man, this is our house, President Trump invited us here, we're here to stop the steal’,” recalled Mr Dunn during his testimony. “I responded ‘I voted for Joe Biden, does my vote not count? Am I nobody?’ That prompted a torrent of racial epithets, one woman in a pink MAGA shirt yelled ‘you hear that guys, this ni**er voted for Joe Biden’. Then the crowd, perhaps about 20 people, joined in screaming ‘booo f***ing ni**er’.”

Mr Fanone appeared on CNN on Wednesday to condemn the rhetoric coming from Fox News, and suggested it could create a climate in which the insurrection could occur.

“What does concern me is the fact that you know, those entertainers have an audience, and that audience takes their words and, you know, the rhetoric that they use as more than just entertainment,” he said. “They think it’s real...

“That thought process has real-life consequences,” he said. “And we saw the result of that on 6 January.”

More than 500 people have been arrested for their parts in Capitol Riot, police continue to investigate further suspects.

The Independent has contacted Fox News for further comment.