US Capitol attack: FBI releases footage of suspects assaulting police officers

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has released video footage of 10 rioters who can be seen assaulting law enforcement officials during the January 6 Capitol Hill insurrection. The FBI has asked the public to help identify ten individuals, who are suspected of carrying out violent attacks on police officers. The FBI said, so far it has arrested more than 300 people in connection with the January 6 riot, of which more than 65 are suspected of attacking officers who were protecting the Congress building. 

“The FBI is asking for the public’s help in identifying 10 individuals suspected of being involved in some of the most violent attacks on officers who were protecting the U.S. Capitol and our democratic process on January 6. These individuals are seen on video committing egregious crimes against those who have devoted their lives to protecting the American people,” Steven M. D’Antuono, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, said in a statement. 

January 6th riot

On January 6, hundreds of Donald Trump supporters broke into the Capitol Hill building while a joint Congressional session was underway to certify President Joe Biden's win. At least five people died during the insurrection, including a police officer. The crowd was unhappy with the election results and the certification of Joe Biden as the next US President because they felt the election was rigged in favour of Democrats after being fed misinformation by Trump and his aides. 

Earlier this month, the FBI had released a video of a man  who placed pipe bombs outside the Republican National Convention (RNC) and Democratic National Convention (DNC) headquarters a day before the Capitol Hill insurrection. The FBI requested the members of the public to help identify the man seen in the video footage. The incident had occurred on January 5 as the man was captured on CCTV placing the bomb in an alley behind the RNC office and at a park outside DNC hq.