Thomas Webster, a Marine Corps veteran who worked for 20 years as a New York City police officer, has been arrested for his role in the January 6th domestic terrorist attack on the Capitol during which he was caught on camera assaulting a police officer, NBC News reports.
Webster is seen in video and photographs beating a Capitol Police officer with a flag pole flying the flag of the US Marine Corps. In a series of photos, Webster can be seen ripping a shield from an officer who had fallen to the ground, trying to take the helmet off the officer, and shoving his fingers under the mask and into the eyes of the officer. In a video, he is heard yelling at officer, calling him a “commie motherfucker.”
Clad in a red, black and white jacket, Webster wore a bulletproof vest under his jacket to the Capitol attack, preparing for “armed conflict,” according to charging documents.
While an NYPD officer, Webster worked security at Gracie Mansion, the residence of the Mayor of New York. It is unclear if Webster worked there when Rudy Giuliani was mayor of the city and carrying out extramarital affairs at the residence.
Webster surrendered himself at the Hudson Valley FBI office. He turned in his firearms, his pistol permit and his passport to authorities.