A Maryland man accused of beating police officers during the Capitol riot that took place on January 6 previously confessed that he was not at the protest for former President Trump.
Emanuel Jackson turned himself in to authorities on January 18, identifying himself as one of the rioters at the January 6 Capitol protest. He has been accused of participating in violent mob events, beating police officers with a baseball bat.
According to CBS Baltimore, video surveillance apparently shows Jackson beating a Capitol Police officer as he attempted to storm the building:
Several hours later, Jackson was again spotted among the aggressive crowd assaulting police officers, He was seen striking a group of Metropolitan and U.S. Capitol police officers with a metal baseball bat, according to the warrant.
“I had a bat. They were pepper-spraying people. Then, they got me in the eye,” Jackson said in a video posted to social media, revealing his motives for participating in the mob and claiming that he was “fighting for America.”
“We’ve been taken over by globalists, by the Chinese. Fighting for America. I’m not here for Trump. I’m here for America,” he said, noting that he did not vote in the 2020 presidential election because he “thought my vote didn’t count.”
“But I learned a lesson, and I will vote next in the midterms and in other elections,” he added.
The revelation of his admission — that he did not participate in the riot for or under the direction of Trump — comes as Democrats continue to blame the former president, as well as a handful of GOP lawmakers, for inciting the lawless breach of the U.S. Capitol as Congress gathered to certify the electoral vote.
Lawmakers in the House of Representatives have since impeached now-former President Trump for the second time, with an impeachment trial continuing to loom in the Democrat-led Senate.