A tense scene unfolded at a House Judiciary Committee hearing when former DC police officer Michael Fanone erupted in a confrontation with Ivan Raiklin, an individual present at the January 6th events. The outburst led to Fanone being escorted from the room by a Capitol Police officer, a dramatic interruption to the ongoing proceedings.
Witnesses described a sudden and aggressive shift in Fanone’s demeanor. Raiklin claims he simply extended a hand in greeting, but Fanone allegedly responded with a barrage of profanities and intensely personal threats, raising questions about the officer’s state of mind at the time.
The verbal attack escalated quickly, with Fanone reportedly shouting obscenities and demanding Raiklin “do something.” He claimed to be exercising significant restraint, while a bystander physically intervened to prevent further escalation as Capitol Police moved to contain the situation.
Fanone then made deeply disturbing accusations, alleging Raiklin had threatened his family and even his children with sexual violence. These claims, delivered with visible rage, shocked those present and fueled the already charged atmosphere within the hearing room.
The incident occurred during a recess in testimony related to ongoing investigations. Four officers who were present on January 6th were in attendance, seemingly in support of the proceedings against President Trump and conservative lawmakers.
Following the outburst, a striking display of partisan reaction occurred. Democratic members of the committee rose to applaud Fanone as he was led away, with Representative Becca Balint offering vocal support and others joining in the applause.
The ranking Democratic member, Jamie Raskin, immediately called for the chairman to “control” Raiklin, accusing him of deliberately disrupting the committee’s work and creating a hostile environment. The exchange highlighted the deep divisions and animosity surrounding the January 6th investigations.
Fanone was notably wearing a shirt bearing the message “Fighting Nazis since 1996” during the hearing, a detail that added another layer of complexity to the already fraught encounter and the subsequent reactions.
