A Capitol police officer is being praised as a hero for his actions during last week’s unrest at the Capitol after a viral video showed him diverting rioters away from the Senate chamber, where lawmakers were taking cover inside.
The mob, which formed to protest President-elect Joe Biden’s win over President Donald Trump, was steps away from the Senate doors when one officer, who is Black, confronted the group’s leader and walked the other way, prompting a chase when all of them followed him.
The moment was captured on video by HuffPost’s Igor Bobic:
The officer received widespread praise on social media, including from lawmakers and journalists caught in Wednesday’s fray. NBC News has not verified the officer’s identity.
Capitol Police as a whole has also faced scrutiny over its response, with critics pointing out discrepancies between how officers reacted to the mob versus Black Lives Matter protesters last summer. Police Chief Steven Sund on Thursday announced he was stepping down amid the criticism.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
