“All of our commands were ineffective. No one was listening,” testified Joanna Burger, a U.S. Capitol Police officer standing next to Rathbun. “They didn’t care if they had to hurt us to get to lawmakers.”
She said officers faced hostile crowds on all sides and a shower of tossed metal pipes, wood, glass and plastic bottles.
“The threat … ” Burger said,” it was all around us at that point.”