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Home News Hundreds Of Capitol Rioters Released After Trump’s Sweeping Pardon

Hundreds Of Capitol Rioters Released After Trump’s Sweeping Pardon

by Celia

Hundreds of individuals convicted for their involvement in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot were released from prison on Tuesday, following a sweeping pardon granted by President Donald Trump. The pardon, which included over 1,500 individuals, affected those who had participated in the attack on the U.S. Capitol, including some who had assaulted police officers. The Federal Bureau of Prisons confirmed that 211 people were released from federal facilities as a result of Trump’s order.

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Trump’s move, which went beyond the expectations of many of his allies, sparked backlash from police officers, their families, and some lawmakers, including fellow Republicans. A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found that a majority of Americans disapproved of Trump’s decision.

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The Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), the nation’s largest police union, expressed strong disapproval, even though the union had supported Trump in the 2024 election. In a joint statement with the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the FOP said it was “deeply discouraged” by the pardons.

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One notable release was Stewart Rhodes, leader of the far-right Oath Keepers group. Rhodes had been serving an 18-year sentence after being convicted of attempting to prevent Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 election. He was freed after Trump commuted his sentence. Speaking outside a Washington D.C. jail, Rhodes described his release as “redemption” and “vindication,” adding that he still believed Trump’s false claims of election fraud.

Trump’s clemency order applied to all individuals charged in the assault, when a mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in an attempt to overturn the 2020 election results. The attack injured over 140 police officers and left lawmakers scrambling for safety.

Craig Sicknick, whose brother, Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, was assaulted during the riot and later died, condemned Trump’s actions. Sicknick referred to Trump as “pure evil,” expressing anger that his brother’s efforts to protect the Capitol were in vain. He questioned why his brother had risked his life, only to see the individuals responsible for the attack pardoned.

Trump’s order extended clemency to everyone charged in the Capitol riot, including those who committed lesser offenses like trespassing, as well as those who played leadership roles in the attack.

According to the Reuters/Ipsos poll, nearly 60% of respondents, surveyed right after Trump’s inauguration, said they disagreed with pardoning all those involved in the Capitol assault.

Senator Thom Tillis, a Republican, spoke out against the pardons, particularly for those who had assaulted police officers. He argued that such actions would send the wrong message and undermine safety in the Capitol. “None of them should get a pardon,” Tillis stated. “You make this place less safe if you send the signal that police officers could potentially be assaulted and there is no consequence.”

On the other hand, some of Trump’s supporters praised the decision. Republican Representative Lauren Boebert even offered to give Capitol tours to the defendants after their release.

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