Prisoners convicted of participating in the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol are awaiting their release from prison following President Donald Trump‘s pardon of around 1,500 rioters on Monday.
Why It Matters
A mob of angry Trump supporters, fueled by the false claim that former President Joe Biden “stole” the 2020 presidential election from Trump, stormed the Capitol as a joint session of Congress was meeting to certify the election results on January 6, 2021.
Trump and many of his most ardent supporters have long maintained that the rioters, including those convicted of violently attacking Capitol Police, are “political prisoners.” However, an AP-NORC poll conducted earlier this month found that only 20 percent of Americans support pardoning January 6 participants.
What To Know
In an executive order issued just hours into Trump’s second term on Monday, the president said that issuing the pardons would end “a grave national injustice that has been perpetrated upon the American people over the last four years and begins a process of national reconciliation.”
The order specifically grants clemency to 14 rioters associated with the far-right groups Oath Keepers and Proud Boys, while granting “a full, complete and unconditional pardon to all other individuals” convicted of participating in the attack.
While it was not clear exactly when those currently in federal prison for January 6-related crimes would be released, Trump’s proclamation ordered that the prisoners “are released immediately.”
Trump referred to the convicted rioters as “hostages” while granting the pardons and commutations from the Oval Office on Monday night.
“So, this is January 6th, these are the hostages,” Trump said. “Approximately 1,500 for a pardon. Full pardon… We have about six commutations in there, where we’re doing further research… We hope they come out tonight, frankly. We’re expecting it.”
Newsweek reached out for comment to the White House via email on Monday night.
What People Are Saying
Zuny Tarrio, the mother of Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio, who was convicted of seditious conspiracy and other January 6 charges, in a post to X, formerly Twitter: “My son has is being released!!!! Omg! Lord thank you!!! TARRIO IS FREE!!!”
John Strand, a January 6 participant who was released from prison last year, on X: “I, John Strand, of Naples, Florida have just received word that I have received a FULL pardon of exoneration. I have wept tears of joy. Thank you @realDonaldTrump for hearing us. Thank you for having our back. God bless America.”
Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, while sharing a copy of Trump’s order on X: “If you are a family member of a J6 hostage go to the prison and show a copy. They have to release the prisoner. Pardon power is absolute total and immediate. Don’t let them delay – we demand immediate release! Bring them home!”
Progressive podcast host Joanne “JoJoFromJerz” Carducci, while sharing a video of some rioters attacking Capitol Police on X: “Donald Trump is going to pardon the terrorists who brutalized our police officers in his name. Is this what you voted for you mother****ing losers?!??”
Democratic Congressman Jamie Raskin, during a CNN interview: “Why were they being pardoned, that’s my question… Are they being pardoned simply because they were the willing political foot soldiers for Donald Trump when he incited an insurrection against the government? I think the polls are showing that 60 or 62 percent of the people reject the pardons of people who engaged in violence against police officers… I think there’s a lot of explaining to do about this.”
What Happens Next
All of those being held for crimes related to January 6 should be released within days, if not hours. A group of family members and friends of Capitol rioters were spotted gathered outside the D.C. Central Detention Facility in anticipation of their release on Monday night, according to Fox station WNYW.
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