Riley Kasper, who was convicted of pepper-spraying police officers during the January 6th, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol, speaks out about his experience and the aftermath of his actions. He describes his motivations for going to Washington, D.C. and expresses remorse for his role in the violence. Kasper also discusses his prison sentence, his pardon by former President Donald Trump, and his plans for the future.
It's been more than four years since Riley Kasper of Clintonville found himself in the middle of the January 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol. Kasper, a supporter of President Donald Trump , said he'd never been to Washington, D.C. before his trip in 2021. He went to see the national capital sights and found himself arriving in town the morning of a Trump rally that preceded the congressional vote to certify the 2020 election.
Trump, who spoke at the rally, repeatedly claimed the election was stolen, going as far as accusing Democrats of voter fraud and rigging the election in all six of the battleground states where Trump disputed his loss. That included two recounts in Wisconsin that Trump paid for. Kasper, who was 22 at the time, admitted to using a can of bear spray on police officers during the riot, though he claims he never entered the Capitol building. 'I guess no,' Kasper said when asked if his intent was to prevent certification of President Joe Biden's victory. 'I guess we thought there was a chance if we drew enough attention to it, more people would look into the election, investigate it and actually find proof of widespread fraud and then if there was proof of fraud, then yeah, obviously something would have to be done with that.' Kasper maintains that he was there to peacefully protest the election results. 'I didn't believe in the election. I went there, I wanted to protest it. I had no idea that anything that happened was actually going to happen. I went there, was going to do my civic duty, peaceful protest,' he said. Once the gates started getting knocked down, I did hesitate for a second but there were so many people there. The whole crowd was going in one direction and basically you were going,' he said. Kasper says he was ultimately ashamed of his actions towards the officers. 'I don't apologize for going to D.C. that day and voicing my opinion and standing up for what I believe, but those officers did not deserve what I did,' he said. When asked whether he was ashamed of his actions, he responded, 'I'm ashamed that I assaulted those officers. I'm not ashamed that I stood up for what I believed.'Kasper served time in prison for his role in the riot and was ultimately pardoned by Trump. He has since returned to his family and work, stating that he has no plans to participate in any kind of protest in the future and would decline any invitation to Washington, D.C. by Trump to recognize his pardon. 'Just glad to be back home, and if after this interview I never hear the word 'J6' or 'Capitol riot' ever again, I would love it that way,' Kasper told FOX 11. He says he hopes his story can serve as a cautionary tale about the dangers of political extremism.
JANUARY 6TH RIOT RILEY KASPER DONALD TRUMP PARDON U.S. CAPITOL POLITICAL EXTREMISM
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Riley Kasper Speaks Out After January 6th ConvictionRiley Kasper, who was convicted of pepper-spraying police officers during the January 6th Capitol riot, reflects on his experience in an exclusive interview with FOX 11's Emily Matesic. Kasper expresses remorse for his actions while defending his right to protest.
Read more »
January 6th Rioter Riley Kasper Released From Prison, Says He Regrets Assaulting PoliceRiley Kasper, convicted of pepper-spraying police officers during the January 6th, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol, has been released from prison. In an exclusive interview with FOX 11, Kasper expressed remorse for his actions and stated he has no plans to participate in future protests.
Read more »
B. Riley Faces More SEC Scrutiny Over Franchise Group DealingsB. Riley Financial Inc. received additional subpoenas from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) seeking information about its dealings with now-bankrupt Franchise Group (FRG) and a personal loan for Chairman Bryant Riley. The SEC is investigating B. Riley's past investments in FRG and Riley's pledge of B. Riley shares as collateral for a personal loan. This comes amid an ongoing SEC probe into B. Riley's relationship with former FRG CEO Brian Kahn. B. Riley maintains it is cooperating fully with the SEC and that the subpoenas do not indicate any violations of law.
Read more »
Justice Department Releases Report on Trump's Role in January 6th Capitol RiotA comprehensive report by Special Counsel Jack Smith detailing allegations that Donald Trump criminally attempted to overturn the 2020 election results has been released by the Justice Department. The report concludes that Trump would have faced conviction had he not been elected and outlines his alleged efforts to pressure Vice President Mike Pence, manipulate the electoral process, and incite the January 6th Capitol riot. Trump maintains his innocence, claiming the charges are politically motivated.
Read more »
Trump Inspired Violence on January 6th and Spread False Election Claims, Special Counsel Report FindsSpecial Counsel Jack Smith's report concludes his investigation into former President Donald Trump's actions following the 2020 election, detailing his efforts to overturn the results and incite violence on January 6th. The report paints a damning picture of Trump's intent and knowledge of the falsity of claims regarding election fraud.
Read more »
Special Counsel's Report Concludes Trump Incited Violence on January 6thJack Smith's report states that Donald Trump inspired his supporters to commit acts of violence on January 6th and knowingly spread false claims about election fraud in the 2020 election. The report defends the decision to charge Trump and concludes that, had he not been elected, a conviction was likely.
Read more »