U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, walked across the front of the Capitol early on Jan. 6, 2021, and, from a "safe space" protected by officers, he "raised his fist in solidarity with the protesters" gathering at the security gates, U.S. Rep. Elaine Luria said during a House committee meeting Thursday.
The committee then showed the infamous photo of Hawley, one of Donald Trump's strongest allies, raising his fist in a show of support to the mob that was steadfast in storming the building to stop the certification of President Joe Biden's election win. Luria said the committee heard testimony from an officer who said the gesture "riled up" the crowd gathering at the Capitol.
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"Later that day, Sen. Hawley fled after those protesters he helped to rile up stormed the Capitol," Luria said.
The committee then played video, which quickly became a meme on social media, of Hawley hurrying out of the Capitol once the building was breached.
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The video, played during the eighth hearing of the Jan. 6 panel, drew laughter in the hearing room.
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