Members of the Capitol Police complained Sergeant Harry Dunn—who spoke candidly about the racism he endured from the mob that stormed the United States Capitol one year ago—has made the insurrection "all about race."
According to The New York Times, some of Dunn's fellow officers—who comprise a department that is predominantly White—have become critical of his public-facing role given the two officers who died after the attack were White.
Dunn made clear he has only spoken about his own experience.
Dunn has given multiple interviews to the press since he was identified as the officer who gave an anonymous interview to Buzzfeed News, where he recounted crying, "Is this America?" in the Capitol Rotunda.
Later, in often emotional testimony during a July 2021 hearing, Dunn recalled rioters—who ransacked the Capitol at the behest of former President Donald Trump on the false premise the 2020 general election was stolen—declared "that [n-word] voted for Biden."
The crowd chanted, "Boo! F**king [n-word]!" after Dunn confirmed he had, in fact, voted for President Joe Biden.
.@CapitolPolice Officer @libradunn tells the 1/6 Committee about the racial slurs hurled at him by pro-Trump insurrectionists that day.pic.twitter.com/BBpbHn8UOp— Andrew Feinberg (@Andrew Feinberg) 1627398051
Many pointed out Capitol Police officers' criticisms of Dunn are rooted in White supremacy given they are seeking to silence a prominent Black officer from speaking candidly about his own experiences.
https://www.businessinsider.com/capitol-police-complained-harry-dunn-january-6-all-about-race-2022-1\u00a0\u2026 the Capitol police are upset that a \u201cblack\u201d Capitol police officer speaks out about 1/6- the definition of racism.— seven costanza (@seven costanza) 1641393074
There is a direct link to racism by so many traitors on 1/6, so its also about race.\nCapitol police officers complained that Harry Dunn, who tearfully recounted being called the N-word during the January 6 riot, made it 'all about race': report https://news.yahoo.com/capitol-police-officers-complained-harry-194924315.html?soc_src=social-sh&soc_trk=tw&tsrc=twtr\u00a0\u2026 via @Yahoo— A7F16AFVet (@A7F16AFVet) 1641329834
Why Do So Many White People Fear the Subject of Racism?\n\nCapitol cops complain that Harry Dunn, who tearfully recounted being called the 'N' word during the Capitol riot...\n\n'Made it all about race.'https://www.businessinsider.com/capitol-police-complained-harry-dunn-january-6-all-about-race-2022-1\u00a0\u2026— Lorie Meacham (@Lorie Meacham) 1641344134
This shouldn\u2019t surprise me, but I\u2019m disgusted all the same. #Racism #Police #CapitolPolice #January6th #HarryDunnhttps://www.yahoo.com/news/capitol-police-officers-complained-harry-194924315.html\u00a0\u2026— Skylar Ezell is a Black, Broke, and Bougie Writer (@Skylar Ezell is a Black, Broke, and Bougie Writer) 1641358868
They are mad that he spoke out about the naked racism?! Capitol police officers complained that Harry Dunn, who tearfully recounted being called the N-wo... https://news.yahoo.com/capitol-police-officers-complained-harry-194924315.html?soc_src=community&soc_trk=tw\u00a0\u2026 via @Yahoo— MINDMATTERS! (@MINDMATTERS!) 1641356008
Can you imagine? You share your own personal story of racism only to be chided by white officers \u201cfor making it all about race\u201d. There is a concentrated and purposeful effort, in nearly every sector of society, to squash the racism conversation.https://www.businessinsider.com/capitol-police-complained-harry-dunn-january-6-all-about-race-2022-1\u00a0\u2026— Josh Gelatt (@Josh Gelatt) 1641409844
Capitol Cops Complained Dunn Made January 6 'All About Race:' Report https://www.businessinsider.com/capitol-police-complained-harry-dunn-january-6-all-about-race-2022-1\u00a0\u2026 Everytime America turns over a rock they find racism. The problem is they don't want to confront it. Which leaves black Americans baffled hurt & segregated. Sad commentary about the USA.— GaryInPismo (@GaryInPismo) 1641335055
@CapitolPolice it\u2019s called intersectionality-where multiple truths converge cohesively. Trump fueled racism, racist felt emboldened to attack our country & hurl racist comments while doing it.Your captain understood the assignment.https://www.businessinsider.com/capitol-police-complained-harry-dunn-january-6-all-about-race-2022-1\u00a0\u2026— Clifton G. Gibbons (@Clifton G. Gibbons) 1641397662
This is ludicrous! Let's just face up to the FACT that racism was a part of the 1/6/2021 insurrection! Otherwise, why would the confederate flag have been brought to the US Capitol?\n\nCapitol Cops Complained Dunn Made January 6 'All About Race:' Reporthttps://www.businessinsider.com/capitol-police-complained-harry-dunn-january-6-all-about-race-2022-1\u00a0\u2026— AquariusinAZ (@AquariusinAZ) 1641342264
Racist white people always get hella uncomfortable when people shine lights on their racism and always exposed themselves as BEING racist with their nervous reactions.https://news.yahoo.com/capitol-police-officers-complained-harry-194924315.html\u00a0\u2026— \ud83d\uddf3\u270a\ud83c\udffeBart N. Luther King \ud83d\udc74\ud83c\udffe\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@\ud83d\uddf3\u270a\ud83c\udffeBart N. Luther King \ud83d\udc74\ud83c\udffe\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8) 1641395233
Racism undoubtedly influenced many who participated in the January 6 insurrection.
A few waved Confederate flags, perhaps the most overt symbol of a failed state in which White supremacy reigned supreme. Others bore symbols and slogans from White nationalist and White supremacist groups.
The presence of the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers, organizations that embraced White nationalism and White supremacist ideology and are considered hate groups, is unquestionably further evidence of the racial animus on which former President Trump and his associates capitalized.
Multiple political scientists and scholars also pointed out racial tensions have become more pronounced over the last decade. It was at least in part a response to the ascendancy of former President Barack Obama, further evidence of a White backlash aimed specifically, whether explicitly or implicitly, at impeding the advancement of Black people.
In fact, former President Trump regularly pushed the racist "birther" conspiracy theory alleging former President Obama was not born in the United States which, while false, is immaterial since Obama's mother was a United States citizen. Trump's 2016 opponent Republican Senator Ted Cruz was born in Canada to a Cuban father and a United States citizen mother.
The rise of an angry and galvanized insurgency, spurred by a President who once urged police officers to shoot demonstrators calling for racial justice and an end to police brutality and whose chief advisers included noted White nationalists Steve Bannon—who has openly pushed conspiracy theories suggesting Whites are being "replaced" by immigrants of non-European descent—and Stephen Miller—architect of the child separation policy on only the southern border—underscores the consquences of these ideologies attaining larger platforms and wider recognition and acceptance.
Dunn, for his part, has continued to speak out about the treatment he experienced during the Capitol riot and criticized Republicans for defending insurrectionists.
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