A former NYPD officer who claimed he was defending himself at the January 6th domestic terrorist attack on Congress when he swung a metal flagpole at police officers and attempted to choke one out using the strap of the officer’s gasmask was found guilty of six charges after just two hours of jury deliberation, WNBC-4 New York reports.

Thomas Webster, a 56-year-old who is also a former Marine, will face a maximum of 20 years in jail.  He is the first of the January 6th domestic terrorists to claim he was acting in self-defense when he and others attack DC Metropolitan and Capitol Police who had formed a line to prevent the domestic terrorists from invading the Capitol.

Webster testified in his defense that he didn’t hit or punch one of the officers he was accused of assaulting, Metropolitan Police Department officer Noah Rathbun, and instead claimed Rathbun was askin’ for it by standing in his way and, Webster claims, punching Webster.  Video shown at the trial showed Webster was lying. 

Video from Rathbun’s bodycam showed Webster advancing toward Rathbun and other officers with the tip of his flagpole, carrying the flag of the US Marine Corps, Rathbun pushes Webster head with an open hand.

Webster claimed the push was like “getting hit by a freight train” and forced him to defend himself.  In the video, Webster hardly reacted like he was hit by a freight train and continued to assault Rathbun and his fellow officers.  Webster swung the flagpole at the officer, breaking it on a bike rack barrier, but continued to swing the broken pole at the officers.

Webster than grabbed the gas mask Rathbun was wearing, pulling it off his face and twisting it so the straps tightened around Rathbun’s neck.  Webster claimed he did so just to see Rathbun’s face, presumably as it turned red due to lack of oxygen.