Insurrectionists sue over capitol riot, seeking millions in damages

A group of individuals who were present at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, during the violent insurrection, have filed a class-action lawsuit against the law enforcement agencies that responded to the unrest. The plaintiffs, who include several individuals with ties to extremist groups, are seeking millions of dollars in damages for what they claim were physical and emotional injuries sustained at the hands of police.

Lead plaintiffs with troubled pasts

Among the lead plaintiffs in the lawsuit are A.J. Fischer, a member of the far-right group Proud Boys who was charged with assault before receiving a pardon from former President Donald Trump. Fischer is joined by Patrick and Marie Sullivan, who claim to have been caught in the crossfire between rioters and police, with the Sullivans reporting being hit by pepper balls and sprayed with chemical irritants.

The lawsuit aims to represent a class of dozens of others who were on the Capitol's West Front that day, where the most intense clashes between protesters and police occurred. Included in the potential class are individuals convicted of felony assaults, such as Dominic Pezzola, a Proud Boy who smashed a window with a stolen riot shield, and Christopher Worell, another Proud Boy who used pepper spray on police officers.

The plaintiffs' claims come as the Justice Department has recently settled a wrongful prosecution suit brought by Trump's former national security advisor Michael Flynn for $1.25 million in a Florida court, raising questions about the potential success of the Capitol riot lawsuits.