The family of Brian Sicknick, the US Capitol Police officer who died the day after he was assaulted by pro-Trump rioters during the January 6 attack, has issued a blistering denunciation of Fox News and host Tucker Carlson after the incendiary anchor aired video footage which called into question Sicknick’s condition after his assault.
“The Sicknick family is outraged at the ongoing attack on our family by the unscrupulous and outright sleazy so called 'news network of Fox News who will do the bidding of Trump or any of his sycophant followers, no matter what damage is done to the families of the fallen, the officers who put their lives on the line, and all who suffered on Jan 6th due to the started by Trump and spread by sleaze slinging outlets like Fox,” the family said in a statement.
Mr Carlson, who has spent the two years since the pro-Trump riot attacking the House-led probe into the attack and attempting to help Republicans reframe the events of that day as a peaceful protest that has been weaponised by Democrats, was granted exclusive access to Capitol security footage by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy as part of a deal Mr McCarthy made with extremist members in exchange for their support for his speakership bid.
On his eponymous programme Monday night, Mr Carlson suggested Democrats and the mainstream press have lied about Sicknick’s death, which occurred from a stroke he suffered the day after the riot. He also suggested that Ashli Babbit, a rioter who was shot by police as she tried to breach a secure area while lawmakers were being evacuated from the mob, was “murdered” by the officer who shot her. He also suggested that Sicknick’s death had nothing to do with the riot because he attempted to carry on with his duties after being assaulted.
“While making a criminal out to be a martyr, he is also downplaying the horrid situation faced by the USCP and DC Metro Police who were incredibly outnumbered and were literally fighting for their very lives. One officer, Brian Sicknick, lost that fight the following day and several more officers lost that fight in the following weeks. On video, Officer Sicknick looks like he managed to shake off the chemical irritants and resume his duties. That he did, but his sense of duty and incredible work ethic were the driving force which sent him back in spite of his injuries and no doubt contributed to his succumbing to his injuries the following day,” the family said.
They added that “fictitious news outlets like Fox and its rabid followers” are preventing them from resuming their “normal lives”.
“Every time the pain of that day seems to have ebbed a bit, organizations like Fox rip our wounds wide open again and we are frankly sick of it. Leave us the hell alone and instead of spreading more lies from Supreme Leader Trump, why don't you focus on real news?" they said.
