A retired New York City police officer was arrested and charged this week with impeding police during the Jan. 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol.
Thomas Webster, 54, a New York state resident, was charged with one count of assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating, or interfering with any person assisting an officer or employee of the United States in the performance of their official duties while armed with a deadly or dangerous weapon, among other charges.
A judge ordered Webster on Tuesday held, pending another appearance on March 3.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint against the former Marine, Webster was depicted in video footage from Jan. 6 assaulting a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer who was attempting to secure the exterior plaza of the Capitol.
Webster, wearing a snow jacket, jeans, and brown work boots while carrying a flagpole with a Marine flag attached to it, can be seen waving a finger at the officer and cursing at him.
After berating the officer, Webster “aggressively shoves the metal gate, behind which the officer was standing, into the officer’s body and then arms himself with the metal flagpole,” according to the Department of Justice.
“The footage then shows Webster raising the metal flagpole above his head and forcefully swinging downward, striking the metal barricade directly in front of the MPD officer. Webster then attempts to attack the officer by lunging toward him with the metal flagpole, striking at the officer with the flagpole numerous times. Webster proceeds to break through the metal barricade and begins charging toward the officer with clenched fists. Webster ultimately lunges at the officer and tackles him to the ground,” it added.
Video then appeared to show Webster pinning the officer to the ground and trying to remove the officer’s face shield and gas mask, cutting off the officer’s breath.
It wasn’t clear whether Webster had hired a lawyer. The case was not listed on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia docket as of Feb. 24.
Over 150 people have been charged for committing crimes during the breach of the Capitol, according to the Department of Justice.
