A Los Angeles police officer was ordered by LAPD chief Michel Moore to tell FBI agents about his participation in the pro-Trump rally that preceded the attack on the United States Capitol.
The unidentified officer told officers he attended the big pro-Trump demonstration on the National Mall on January 6, where Trump spoke, but left “before any other activity and did not participate in anything that happened on Capitol Hill,” Moore. said.
The official said he was back in his DC accommodation when he saw on television that people had left the rally and invaded the Capitol, Moore said.
Moore emphasized that while simply attending the rally would be a protected activity under the 1st Amendment, any involvement in the attack on the Capitol would not and could expose an officer to criminal charges. A department spokesman said the LAPD would cooperate with the FBI if an additional investigation into the police officer was needed.
An FBI spokeswoman said the agency “will interview anyone who submits information” about Trump’s demonstration and the ensuing attack on the Capitol building. The information provided by the participants will not be discussed publicly, the spokeswoman said.
After videos and photos of the Capitol attack showed many intruders dressed in military-style tactical clothing, law enforcement and military officials were asked if any of their members were involved. Some have put members on leave while investigations are completed. A town in Virginia put two policemen on leave.
The demonstration and attack were watched by a broad group of Trump supporters, including white supremacists and other extremists. Urged by Trump, many in the crowd hoped to prevent Congress from counting state election votes and confirming President-elect Joe Biden’s victory over Trump in November.
The crowd was fueled by unfounded claims made for weeks by Trump that the election was somehow stolen from him. The lawsuits have been repeatedly rejected in state and federal courts because they have no merit.
Moore said the attack on the Capitol was such a blatant attack on democracy that the scrutiny of those who attended was guaranteed. He said that any LAPD police officer who was there should “step forward, identify that they traveled and say what their activities were”.
“This event, this action against our nation’s Capitol and the sanctity of that democratic process being interrupted by tumultuous mobs – if anyone in this department played a role in this, in the first place, they must identify themselves,” said Moore.
Captain Stacy Spell, a spokesman for the LAPD, said the agency “will cooperate with any investigation that results from any allegation of misconduct” related to the attack on the Capitol and its officers.
Moore said he told commanders across the department to find out if any subordinates were in DC
The FBI is conducting a national hunt against dozens of suspects already identified from photos and videos on Capitol Hill. He also opened a homicide investigation related to the murder of Capitol policeman Brian Sicknick, who died after being injured in the attack, police officials told the Associated Press on condition of anonymity.