Politics

Michael Fanone tells Stewart Rhodes 'go f*** yourself' live on air

Michael Fanone tells Stewart Rhodes 'go f*** yourself' live on air
Michael Fanone tells Stewart Rhodes to go f*** himself live on CNN
CNN

A clip has gone viral of former police officer Michael Fanone, who was injured while defending the US Capitol from rioters on January 6 2021, telling the founder of the far-right Oath Keepers group Stewart Rhodes to "go f*** yourself" live on air.

Fanone sustained serious injuries during the riot, including a heart attack, traumatic brain injuries and burns.

He was off duty when he got the call to come and help out, which he did. Fanone was attacked repeatedly by a number of individuals, including by one who repeatedly hit him with a stun gun.

Rhodes was convicted of seditious conspiracy, which is the crime of plotting to overthrow the government or use force to prevent it from carrying out its duties, and was sentenced to 18 years in prison.

However the new US President Donald Trump pardoned around 1,500 of his supporters who were charged and convicted because of their involvement in the riots, including Rhodes and Fanone's main attacker.

@cnn

Michael Fanone, a former police officer who defended the Capitol on Jan. 6, speaks to CNN's Anderson Cooper after President Donald Trump pardoned the men who beat him. #cnn #news

In a press conference broadcast on CNN, when asked if he had any regrets, Rhodes speaking as a free man said: "No I don't because we did the right thing.

"The guys that went inside did not commit any crimes, in fact they helped the police and helped people out."

The feed then cut to Fanone who joined the live broadcast via phone.

He said: "This is what I would say to Stewart Rhodes, go f*** yourself."

Fanone previously said he felt "betrayed" by his country and that he and his family continue to receive threats to this day.

Speaking to CNN in a separate broadcast, he said: "My family, my children and myself are less safe because of Donald Trump and his supporters."

When the pardon of one of Fanone's attackers was put to Trump, he said "we'll take a look at everything" before going off on a tangent.

Nothing new there then.

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