Justice Department releases new body camera footage from Capitol riot

The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday released new footage from the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol riot to be used in the case against a former Marine accused of wielding a flag pole and threatening Capitol police officers.

The footage shows Thomas Webster, former Marine and retired New York City Police Department officer, screaming at officers, rushing them with a flagpole and engaging in hand-to-hand combat, CNN reports.

Stills from the video — which show Webster waving a metal pole above his head and at one point pinning an officer to the ground — are included in the DOJ’s criminal complaint against Webster.

According to the DOJ, Webster screamed, “You f—ing piece of shit. You f—ing Commie motherf—ers, man … Come on, take your shit off. Take your shit off,” at an officer before assaulting him.

The officer told prosecutors that Webster attempted to remove his helmet, with the chin strap choking him and preventing him from breathing. Prosecutors also pointed to a video uploaded to YouTube that shows Webster apparently at the bottom of a staircase that leads to the Upper West Terrace of the Capitol.

Federal prosecutors have charged Thomas Webster, a former Marine and retired New York Police Department officer, with allegedly using an aluminum pole to assault a police officer during the Capitol riot: https://t.co/x54MbHvmg3 pic.twitter.com/Z7iuymaeWv

— HLN (@HLNTV) February 24, 2021

In the video Webster, appearing to be wearing body armor, looks into the camera and says, “Send more patriots. We need some help.”

The administrator of the high school that Webster’s children attend identified the former police officer, having seen him many times at the school.

Webster currently faces seven federal charges including disorderly conduct and physical violence on Capitol grounds.