Tears flow at the description of the events.
The shock is still deep.
Several police officers report the brutal attacks on the US Capitol during the storm.
Washington - At the first meeting of the committee of inquiry into the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, several police officers vividly described their experiences during that brutal attack.
One of the officials, Aquilino Gonell, said at the hearing in the US House of Representatives on Tuesday that he thought he was going to die that day.
He described the outbreak of violence "like something out of a medieval battle".
The officers had to use their hands to defend themselves centimeter by centimeter against the violent mob.
He and his colleagues were beaten and kicked, maltreated with hammers and sticks, and chemicals sprayed.
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Aquilino Gonell, United States Capitol Police Department (USCP) officer at the hearing of the committee of inquiry into the January 6th attack on the US Capitol.
© Andrew Harnik / AP Pool / dpa
"More than six months later, I am still trying to recover from my injuries," said the Capitol Police officer, who came to tears several times during his testimony.
"For most people, January 6th lasted a few hours, but for those of us who were right in the middle it never stopped." The attack caused lasting trauma.
Supporters of the then US President Donald Trump stormed the seat of the US Congress in Washington on January 6th.
Five people were killed, including a police officer.
The committee in Congress is to investigate the background to the attack.
Policeman Michael Fanone said at the meeting that he was packed, beaten, stuned with a stun gun and cursed as a traitor at the same time. At that moment, he thought that there was a high probability "that I would be torn apart or shot with my own weapon," said the officer with the capital city police in Washington. “I thought of my four daughters who could lose their father.” Dpa
