Goodman described the scene in court on the western front of the Capitol, where rioters first broke through to the Capitol and “where you see one giant force colliding with another.” Goodman said police officers were trying to keep the rioters away while a huge crowd stormed the building across from the National Mall.
Goodman is testifying at the trial of Kevin Seyfried and his son, Hunter Seyfried, who have been charged in connection with the Capitol attack. Both men have been charged with five counts, including obstructing and aiding and abetting an official proceeding, entering or staying in a restricted building, disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building, disorderly or disruptive conduct and parade in the Capitol building. , demonstrate, or picket in the Capitol Building
Images of Kevin Seyfried carrying the Confederate flag, which is seen by many as a symbol of hatred and racism, through the halls of the Capitol became a fascinating image from that day on. The Confederate flag has never been displayed inside the US Capitol building.
Kevin Seyfried told the FBI that he brought the Confederate flag with him from his home in Delaware to Washington, where he usually displays it outside, according to court papers.
Prosecutors say Seyfrieds was part of a mob that Goodman drove away from the Senate chamber after entering the building on the first floor, breaking windows and forcing her inside.
Hunter Seyfried’s defense attorney argued in the opening statements that Seyfried was not guilty of some of the charges because he was not aware that election results were being verified at the Capitol that day.
Goodman talks about her experience being driven away from the Senate Chamber by rioters
Goodman testified that he had a conversation with Kevin Seyfried directly on the first floor. Seyfried used the base of the flagpole to jab at Goodman and tried to push him back.
“I approach him,” Goodman said in court. I tell him, ‘You need to leave.’ The official said that Seyfried then “uses the base of his pole to create space” between Goodman and Seyfried.
During this initial encounter on the first floor, Seyfried was saying things like “F*** I’m not going, where are the members, where are they counting votes,” Goodman said.
After Seyfried jab at Goodman “three to four times” with the base of his flag pole, Goodman said he stood his ground and Seyfried eventually fell back to rejoin the crowd group.
The crowd then moved on to Goodman, he said. Goodman led them up the stairs from the first to second floors of the Senate side of the Capitol. Goodman said he was concerned about crowds moving toward the Republican entrance to the Senate chamber, near the elevator bank on the second floor, and through the corridor that contains Pence’s staff and ceremonial offices.
Before facing the crowd on the first floor, Goodman passed Sen. Mitt Romney, a Republican from Utah, and saw police officers in front of the Senate chamber entrance and the vice president’s staff office, he said.
Goodman was out of pepper spray at this point in the day as he had used it during an earlier battle as rioters breached the Capitol’s western front, where he forced police officers to return inside the building to regroup. assisted in trying to hold the line before. ,
Once inside, he heard that the Senate side of the Capitol had been disbanded over the radio. He said that at that time he had a gun and a police stick.
Goodman led the crowd into a hallway away from the Senate room, known colloquially as the Ohio Clock Corridor, on the second floor. He said other police officers there met him and supported him in controlling the crowd. Goodman and other police officers were asking the rioters to leave, but they disobeyed police orders and remained in the building.
The rioters said, “This is our America, you guys should be on our side, where are they counting votes,” Goodman said in court.
“I just remember the whole time they needed to leave,” Goodman said.
CNN’s Kristin Wilson contributed to this report.