Officer Daniel Hodges refers to pro-Trump insurrectionists who attacked him on Jan. 6 as 'terrorists'

DC Police Officer Daniel Hodges during a House hearing regarding January 6 on Tuesday repeatedly referred to pro-Trump insurrectionists who stormed the US Capitol as "terrorists."

Hodges during his testimony pointed to the hypocrisy of the rioters carrying symbols of support for law enforcement as officers were simultaneously and brutally assaulted.

"To my perpetual confusion, I saw the Thin Blue Line flag, a symbol of support for police, more than once, as the terrorists continued to ignore our commands and attacked us," Hodges said.

The officer offered a harrowing description of the violence he was subjected to.

"The mob of terrorists were shouting 'heave, ho' and they pushed their way forward. A man in front of me grabbed my baton ... he bashed me in the face and head with it ... I did the only thing I could do and screamed for help," Hodges said.

During the insurrection, Hodges was crushed in a door by the pro-Trump mob.

Hodges during his testimony said that his eye was nearly gouged out when one rioter latched onto his face, pushing his thumb into the officer's eye.

Four officers, including Hodges, testified on Tuesday before the House select committee on January 6. All of the officers expressed anger and dismay over efforts by the GOP to whitewash the insurrection and downplay what they experienced during the Capitol attack.

Former President Donald Trump provoked the insurrection via his lies about the 2020 election, including the erroneous notion that it was "stolen." Many Republican lawmakers have continued to amplify Trump's false claims about the election results, while dismissing the House inquiry as a "sham" as they attempt to rewrite the history of the insurrection.

Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, two of the most outspoken Republican critics of Trump's election lies, are serving on the Jan. 6 commission.

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