Senator raised fist of solidarity with rioters... then ran for his life

ONE of Donald Trump’s most loyal senators, who famously raised his fist in solidarity with protesters outside the Capitol on Jan 6, has faced ridicule after footage revealed he fled the same crowd shortly afterwards.

Josh Hawley, a Missouri Republican, has become the subject of internet mockery for running away from the rioters he is accused of encouraging in footage released by the committee investigating the attack. Mr Hawley can be seen sprinting through a hallway in the Capitol just hours after he faced pro-trump activists outside the building.

Democrat Elaine Luria, a member of the January 6 Attack investigative committee, accused Mr Hawley of helping to “rile up” the crowd and making it harder for officers to hold them back. “Later that day, senator Hawley fled … See for yourself,” she said. The footage shown to the committee prompted bursts of laughter.

Michael Fanone, a police officer who was assaulted by the rioters, said the footage made him angry.

“Josh Hawley ran like a b----”, he said.

Mr Hawley denied that raising his fist was an effort to encourage the crowd, whom he said were “gathered peacefully to protest” at the time. Mr Hawley is using the controversy to help raise funds. Yesterday, the senator shared a link to a $20 coffee mug featuring his infamous fist-pump, inset, outside the Capitol on his fundraising website.