Two Capitol Police officers have sued former US president, Donald Trump on Tuesday for inciting January 6 riot that left dozens of their fellow officers injured and one dead.
It would be recalled that on January 6, Trump addressed a ‘Save America’ rally shortly before hundreds of his supporters stormed the seat of US government in Capitol.
Five people were killed, including a police officer who was struck by a fire extinguisher hurled by one of the president’s supporters.
Read Also: US Election Result: 4 Dead, 52 Arrested After Trump’s Supporters Invaded US Capitol
Following the incident, US House of Representatives impeached Donald Trump for “incitement of insurrection” at the Capitol riot, with reference to his address on the morning of the incident.
However, Trump after facing a trial in the Senate over the impeachment, found him not guilty of the incitement allegation.
Read Also: Just In: Trump Found Not Guilty Of Inciting Capitol Hill Insurrection In 2nd Impeachment Trial
In latest development, the two US officers, James Blassingame and Sidney Hemby in their suit said they suffered “physical and emotional injuries” in the riot they said was fomented by Trump, when he was in his final weeks as president and refusing to accept his election defeat.
The suit filed in federal court in Washington, partly reads;
The insurrectionists were spurred on by Trump’s conduct over many months in getting his followers to believe his false allegation that he was about to be forced out of the White House because of massive election fraud.
The insurrectionist mob, which Trump had inflamed, encouraged, incited, directed, and aided and abetted, forced its way over and past the plaintiffs and their fellow officers, pursuing and attacking them.
Blassingame, a 17-year veteran of Capitol police force, said he incurred injuries to his head and back and suffers emotionally from the event.
The African-American officer said he was subjected to racist attacks during the assault on Congress from the Trump supporters.
On his part, Hemby, an 11-year officer, has hand and knee injuries after being crushed against Capitol building doors, and was sprayed in his face and on his body by chemical sprays in the attack.
The suit says;
Officer Hemby normally has a calm demeanor but has struggled to manage the emotional fallout from being relentlessly attacked.
The lawsuit compiles numerous instances in which it says Trump encouraged the insurrection.
It accuses Trump of directing and abetting assault and battery and emotional distress, incitement to riot, and violating public safety statutes.
The officers asked the court for compensatory damages of a minimum of $75,000 (N28.5m) each and an unstated amount in punitive damages.
Via AFP.
