From left, US Capitol Police Sgt. Aquilino Gonell, Washington Metropolitan Police Department officer Daniel Hodges, former Washington Metropolitan Police Department officer Michael Fanone and US Capitol Police Sgt. Harry Dunn arrive as the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the US Capitol holds its final meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, Dec. 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Their visit to the Pennsylvania Legislature last week included some booing and heckling by Republican lawmakers.
Two of the police officers who defended the United States Capitol during the deadly insurrection of Jan. 6, 2021 are coming to Wisconsin this week to speak out against those who encourage political violence.
Officer Harry Dunn is a former US Capitol Police Officer, who served for 15 years on the force before suffering physical injuries in hand-to-hand combat with supporters of former President Donald Trump—after his call to march to the site where electoral votes were being counted in a joint session of Congress.
Officer Danny Hodges has served for ten years with the Metropolitan DC Police Department and is now an advocate against political violence.
Dunn and Hodges will make stops in Eau Claire, Madison, and Milwaukee this week on behalf of President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign in order to warn about the danger Trump still poses to incite further political and mob violence.
Dunn and another Capitol police officer, Aquilino Gonell, were introduced last week on the floor of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Some legislative Republicans booed, heckled, or left the chamber as the two were honored for defending democracy.
Retired Capitol Officer Michael Fanone took part in a speaking tour in Wisconsin in April. During an appearance on UpNorthNews Radio, Fanone noted that more than 140 law enforcement officers were injured in the attack, many resulting in the end of their careers—some ending in suicides. Voters, Fanone said, need to be mindful of the people they vote for in November because behind their positions on some issues may also be support or a lack of condemnation for political violence.
“People like (US Rep.) Derrick Van Orden,” Fanone said. “I want people to think long and hard about who it is they’re sending to Congress, and is this the climate and the culture we want for future generations in this country? Individuals who feel free to use rhetoric that inspires their fellow Americans to commit violence?”
Van Orden—who was not a congressman at the time—was on the US Capitol grounds on the day of the insurrection and behind safety boundaries set by police, but he has denied taking part in any of the violence.
Details on the Wisconsin stops by Dunn and Hodges were not available as this story was published.
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