USA: Capitol attack: Video recordings to be released

The new Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, has announced that he will release thousands of hours of video surveillance footage of the Capitol attack. “In order for Americans to restore trust in their government, we must create transparency,” he said.

The decision will give millions of Americans, lawyers, public interest organizations and the media a chance to see for themselves what happened that day, the Republican Party said. The content will be gradually published on the website of a committee of the House of Parliament. Individuals’ faces should be changed beyond recognition.

Five people die

With the move, Johnson is said to be fulfilling a promise he made to the far-right in his party before the election for the top job. They repeatedly falsely claim that the violent attack was a peaceful demonstration.

A supporter of the then President Donald Trump On January 6, 2021, the Capitol Building in Washington was attacked. Congress met there to formally confirm the victory of Democrat Joe Biden in the presidential election. Trump fired up his supporters during an earlier speech. As a result of the riots, five people died.

There have been controversies over surveillance footage in the past. Johnson’s predecessor in Congress, Kevin McCarthy, gave the recordings exclusively to then-Fox News talk show host Tucker Carlson. The right-wing talk show host showed a selection of images and commented on Trump’s sentiment. Carlson is known for spreading conspiracy theories and was fired from Fox News a few months ago. At the time, Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger called Carlson’s collection of video footage misleading.

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