‘Looked Like an Apology Tour’: Former Capital Officer Recalls Jan 6 Rioter Making Amends After Testimony

Former Capitol police officer Michael Fanone has no interest in apologies from January 6 Capitol rioters. Appearing on CNN Newsroom on Saturday, Fanone recalled an actual apology from convicted rioter Stephen Ayres, who was photographed speaking to Fanone and other Capitol officers following his testimony about January 6 for the congressional subcommittee investigating that day’s events.

CNN’s Ryan Nobles, filling in for Jim Acosta, asked Fanone what he recalled from the brief run-in with Ayres, and Fanone confirmed the rioter apologized, something the officer said was “not necessary,” though not because Ayres has been forgiven.

“It looked like, you know, an apology tour,” Fanone said, recalling Ayres speaking to other officers before he made it to him. “I don’t remember the exact words that he said to me. I just remember that he did apologize. I told him that no apology was necessary. Honestly, I was caught off guard.”

Asked by Nobles about whether he “forgives” Ayres, Fanone responded by saying he’s not “anyone’s rest stop on the road to redemption,” and he has zero interest in hearing other apologies.

“When it comes to January 6, I don’t care to hear anybody’s apologies. That’s just how I feel about the people that were involved in January 6. I want accountability,” the former officer said, adding later that he’s “disheartened” to see some of the “light sentences” rioters have been given over their involvement in the riot.

Ayres pled guilty to disorderly conduct over his actions that day. During his testimony, he claimed he believed then-President Donald Trump would join his supporters at the Capitol and said he and the group he was with left immediately after Trump instructed people to leave the Capitol.

One of the other officers Ayres approached, Harry Dunn, was quick to correct someone claiming he “accepted” an apology from Ayres shortly after images of the rioter talking to the officers went viral on social media.

Watch above via CNN.

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