Police officer bashed in January 6 Capitol riot fears freed attackers will come after him

Officer Michael Fanone, who was beaten and repeatedly tased during the January 6th Capitol riot, has said he is seeking protection from the courts after Donald Trump pardoned rioters. Trump, who has returned to the presidency, has ordered the immediate release of all those imprisoned for the 2021 attack on the Capitol, including members of the far-right groups the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers.

Bodycam video shows Fanone being dragged into a crowd by a rioter, where he was restrained as others beat and repeatedly tased him. He later testified before a congressional committee that he suffered a heart attack and traumatic brain injury. According to him, he received threats after his testimony. "I didn't even get through my whole testimony before I received my first threat," Mr. Fanone told ABC.

Fanone said he is worried that the rioters who attacked him, and are now released, will come after him. "There are no conditions of release," he said. "These people are not restricted from contacting me or my family, and I expect they will. Not to mention the hundreds of other violent criminals who are being released who see me as the face of holding people accountable for the crimes of January 6th."

Trump defended his decision at his first press conference as president. "These people have been in prison for years, and they have been treated in a very cruel way," he said. "It was a disgusting prison, and it was horrific, very inhumane." The president’s executive order grants full pardons to approximately 1,500 people involved in the attack, which was an attempt by Trump supporters to stop the certification of Joe Biden’s election victory.

The sentences of around 14 other criminals were commuted, and all pending charges related to the attack were dropped. Craig Sicknick, whose police officer brother died the day after being attacked during the riot from multiple strokes, called Trump "pure evil." He told Reuters, "The man who killed my brother is now president. My brother's death was in vain. Everything he did to protect the country, to protect the Capitol - why did he bother?"

Prison authorities said more than 200 inmates were released on Tuesday local time. Republican Congresswoman Lauren Boebert joined a group of supporters waiting outside the Washington prison for more to be released. Ms. Boebert said they should never have been imprisoned in the first place. "I will be the first congresswoman to give them a tour of the Capitol," she said.

Fanone said he felt betrayed. "I was a police officer on January 6th, 2021, I answered the calls for help from my colleagues, I went to the Capitol, and I was attacked and severely injured," he said. "And now the American people have chosen Donald Trump to be their president after he promised to pardon these people - these violent, malicious criminals, who attacked police officers who were doing nothing but their job."