“Army Officer Exposes Alleged Retaliation Over Capitol Riot Report

The American justice system is being challenged by an Army Officer’s account of the response to the riots that broke out on Capitol Hill on January 6, 2021. Lt. Col. Adam DeMarco was on the scene of the unrest, and he shared a detailed account of the response in a congressional statement on February 2, 2021. His testimony has raised questions about governmental actions and procedures, and how they relate to the violence that occurred. DeMarco was stationed at the entrance to the Capitol grounds and reported that officers were being ordered to retreat in the face of an overwhelming surge of rioters. He also stated that they were waiting on additional back-up forces to arrive, and that they were slow to do so. The Lieutenant Colonel also testified that the National Guard was ordered to remain outside the Capitol building perimeter, and that the Capitol Police were understaffed and unprepared for the sheer number of rioters. He added that the level of force and confrontation was not enough to restrain the angry crowd, and that the rioters were able to break through several layers of security and into the building. However, DeMarco’s testimony has reportedly earned him a reprimand from some military leaders. His chain of command allegedly implied that the statement could be construed as a criticism of the commander-in-chief. This has led to allegations of a reprisal against him for his testimony. DeMarco’s situation has caused a stir among fellow servicemen who are speaking out in defense of their brother-in-arms. They are arguing that his comments were an honest observation of the chaos, with a clear lack of preparation on the part of the authorities. It is essential that authorities of any and all levels take heed of Lt. Col. DeMarco’s words, and are held accountable to ensure a similar incident never occurs again. If this Army Officer has been wrongfully targeted for his honest account of the events of Capitol Hill, society must take a step in rectifying the situation and providing him with any and all protection afforded to him.