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Standing My Ground: A Capitol Police Officer's Fight for Accountability and Good Trouble After January 6th
The stirring memoir of Harry Dunn, a Capitol Police Officer on duty January 6th, who has become one of the most prominent and essential voices regarding the truth of that day.
Walking the halls of democracy as a Capitol Police officer, Harry Dunn was a man slowly experiencing an awakening. It sparked after the election of our first Black president. It grew as his belief in the bravery and honor of law enforcement was shaken by Ferguson and countless other cases of police brutality towards the Black community. It continued to burn brighter as he watched members of Congress, many of whom he had befriended, lose their way to partisanship, as political extremism intensified. And it exploded into a blaze when he fought side by side with his fellow officers on January 6th, when democracy and their lives were threatened.
Standing My Ground provides a crucial, definitive firsthand account of what happened on that day our country was shocked to its core. But it will also share the story of a man who refused to stay quiet when he learned that some of the men and women he had risked his life protecting, who knew him by name, would deny the horrors they faced. That’s when he chose to speak up and to seek out what his hero John Lewis once termed “good trouble.” Dunn’s ongoing story as a witness willing to meaningfully engage with the media, lawmakers, and the public provides a backdrop for examining the political and racial divide in this country—one that we must overcome in order to demand accountability and preserve our precious democracy.
Walking the halls of democracy as a Capitol Police officer, Harry Dunn was a man slowly experiencing an awakening. It sparked after the election of our first Black president. It grew as his belief in the bravery and honor of law enforcement was shaken by Ferguson and countless other cases of police brutality towards the Black community. It continued to burn brighter as he watched members of Congress, many of whom he had befriended, lose their way to partisanship, as political extremism intensified. And it exploded into a blaze when he fought side by side with his fellow officers on January 6th, when democracy and their lives were threatened.
Standing My Ground provides a crucial, definitive firsthand account of what happened on that day our country was shocked to its core. But it will also share the story of a man who refused to stay quiet when he learned that some of the men and women he had risked his life protecting, who knew him by name, would deny the horrors they faced. That’s when he chose to speak up and to seek out what his hero John Lewis once termed “good trouble.” Dunn’s ongoing story as a witness willing to meaningfully engage with the media, lawmakers, and the public provides a backdrop for examining the political and racial divide in this country—one that we must overcome in order to demand accountability and preserve our precious democracy.
256 pages, Hardcover
Published October 24, 2023
193 people are currently reading
3296 people want to read
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December 18, 2024
12/18/2024 addendum: Another fuckin' hero...
Harry Dunn is a United States Capitol Police officer. His official rank in the USCP is a Private First Class. He has secured the perimeter of the Capitol Building for many years. He has guarded the men and women inside the building during Joint Sessions and inaugural events. He has been involved in keeping the peace during hundreds of peaceful (and not-so-peaceful) protests and demonstrations. But nothing prepared him for the events of January 6, 2021. Today, Dunn is a wounded officer. Not physically. Like nearly everyone who was there that day (anyone who wasn’t an insurrectionist anyway), Dunn suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Dunn writes about his experience that day in “Standing My Ground”, perhaps the most visceral and raw memoirs I have read about that day. I literally finished the 244-page book in one sitting, that is how gripping and intense it is.
Dunn’s book is important among the growing J6 literature as it gives voice to his unique perspective: a Black man in America who is also a cop.
When confronted with insurrectionists, Dunn engaged them in conversation to keep them from entering further into the building to attack members of Congress and their staff. One of the insurrectionists said, “We’re here to stop the steal!”, and another said, “Nobody voted for Joe Biden!” When Dunn responded, “Well, I voted for Joe Biden. Does my vote not count? Am I nobody?” He was instantly verbally assaulted with angry “Boos!” and a barrage of the “N-word”. He was taken aback, as he realized that in all his years of arresting drug dealers, rapists, and other violent criminals, this was the first time anyone had ever called him an “N-word”.
Later, after trying to process the blood and the aftermath and his uniform that reeked of tear-gas and the “N-word”, Dunn stood in the Rotunda and screamed “Is this America? Is this America?” incredulously, over and over.
His experience highlights an aspect that tends to get downplayed or dismissed in discussions of J6: the role of Race and Racism in the Insurrection. It is, he implies, a white elephant in the middle of the room that nobody wants to talk about.
Harry Dunn is a United States Capitol Police officer. His official rank in the USCP is a Private First Class. He has secured the perimeter of the Capitol Building for many years. He has guarded the men and women inside the building during Joint Sessions and inaugural events. He has been involved in keeping the peace during hundreds of peaceful (and not-so-peaceful) protests and demonstrations. But nothing prepared him for the events of January 6, 2021. Today, Dunn is a wounded officer. Not physically. Like nearly everyone who was there that day (anyone who wasn’t an insurrectionist anyway), Dunn suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Dunn writes about his experience that day in “Standing My Ground”, perhaps the most visceral and raw memoirs I have read about that day. I literally finished the 244-page book in one sitting, that is how gripping and intense it is.
Dunn’s book is important among the growing J6 literature as it gives voice to his unique perspective: a Black man in America who is also a cop.
When confronted with insurrectionists, Dunn engaged them in conversation to keep them from entering further into the building to attack members of Congress and their staff. One of the insurrectionists said, “We’re here to stop the steal!”, and another said, “Nobody voted for Joe Biden!” When Dunn responded, “Well, I voted for Joe Biden. Does my vote not count? Am I nobody?” He was instantly verbally assaulted with angry “Boos!” and a barrage of the “N-word”. He was taken aback, as he realized that in all his years of arresting drug dealers, rapists, and other violent criminals, this was the first time anyone had ever called him an “N-word”.
Later, after trying to process the blood and the aftermath and his uniform that reeked of tear-gas and the “N-word”, Dunn stood in the Rotunda and screamed “Is this America? Is this America?” incredulously, over and over.
His experience highlights an aspect that tends to get downplayed or dismissed in discussions of J6: the role of Race and Racism in the Insurrection. It is, he implies, a white elephant in the middle of the room that nobody wants to talk about.
October 15, 2023
I wanted to read this book because I interned for a US Senator for a semester in college. The US Capitol has a special place in my heart. On January 6th, I was on break from law school and I remember sitting in my parents’ house watching the events of January 6th unfold from my iPhone and computer.
Harry Dunn is a US Capitol Police Officer who was there on January 6th. To get a first hand account of what I watched from the safety of my couch was heartbreaking and compelling. Dunn’s retelling almost reads as if we were just sitting across from each other at a coffee shop. Dunn came across as real and down to earth. The chapter “Our Blue Lives Didn’t Matter” was probably my favorite, because of how incorrect and insane some of the insurrectionists could be with how they viewed “Blue Lives” or even democracy.
If you do not like cuss words or coarse language this is not the book for you. Dunn cusses a LOT, but I love cussing so this endeared me to Dunn.
I took off a star because there were parts of the book that I felt could have been better organized. There were a few minor issues with spacing, but nothing dramatic that would hinder a reader’s enjoyment.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Books for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Anyone who is looking for the truth of what happened on January 6th will enjoy this book.
Harry Dunn is a US Capitol Police Officer who was there on January 6th. To get a first hand account of what I watched from the safety of my couch was heartbreaking and compelling. Dunn’s retelling almost reads as if we were just sitting across from each other at a coffee shop. Dunn came across as real and down to earth. The chapter “Our Blue Lives Didn’t Matter” was probably my favorite, because of how incorrect and insane some of the insurrectionists could be with how they viewed “Blue Lives” or even democracy.
If you do not like cuss words or coarse language this is not the book for you. Dunn cusses a LOT, but I love cussing so this endeared me to Dunn.
I took off a star because there were parts of the book that I felt could have been better organized. There were a few minor issues with spacing, but nothing dramatic that would hinder a reader’s enjoyment.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Books for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Anyone who is looking for the truth of what happened on January 6th will enjoy this book.
November 15, 2023
When the dust cleared at the end of the very long day of January 6th, 2020, what was left was heartbreaking. Men and women who had fought [some with their very lives] for democracy and to stop and turn back the insurrectionists that were bent on pain, murder and were filled with hate and spewed that over all they met. The men and women, the author included, that put their lives on the line to both save democracy AND the people inside that building are the real heroes and I applaud them for their bravery in the face of a very real peril.
Well done Harry Dunn, well done. Thank you for your honesty and your transparency and your ability to be honest about how angry you were and how sad you were and how you are still, almost 3 years later, are still struggling with all that happened that day. Thank you for your committed service, then and now. And thank you for continuing to fight for those who cannot fight anymore and against all those that tried to subvert democracy and freedom that day.
Thank you to NetGalley, Harry Dunn, and Hachette Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Well done Harry Dunn, well done. Thank you for your honesty and your transparency and your ability to be honest about how angry you were and how sad you were and how you are still, almost 3 years later, are still struggling with all that happened that day. Thank you for your committed service, then and now. And thank you for continuing to fight for those who cannot fight anymore and against all those that tried to subvert democracy and freedom that day.
Thank you to NetGalley, Harry Dunn, and Hachette Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 18, 2023
I am glad I have the audiobook version, since the author read it. It's a meaningful mix of teaching, history and PTSD healing work. I recommend it to everyone to read- out of respect for the Capital Police and also for all us Americans who have some trauma over January 6.
January 4, 2024
Do I agree with the message of this book? Absolutely. But the narrative is all over the place. The story starts off as a memoir that channels into his first person account of the happenings on January 6th but then it just becomes an angry political rant that is very repetitive. I feel like his attempt to cover so many hot topics is ineffective. I am still glad I read it, though.
December 14, 2023
“I want the people responsible for that day, including Trump … to pay a price, just like we paid a price … I will always be standing my ground to make sure our democracy exists. And I’ll ask that you stand with me so that nothing like this ever happens again.”
“We were betrayed by our president, many of our elected officials, and thousands of other Americans we had sworn to protect.”
“to them we were throw-away people to be despised, hated and derided … merely because of the color of our skin … January 6 was never about politics. It wasn’t about election fraud. That was an excuse for people to do some shit they had wanted to do in the first place.”
“We were betrayed by our president, many of our elected officials, and thousands of other Americans we had sworn to protect.”
“to them we were throw-away people to be despised, hated and derided … merely because of the color of our skin … January 6 was never about politics. It wasn’t about election fraud. That was an excuse for people to do some shit they had wanted to do in the first place.”
October 23, 2023
I was excited to read Harry Dunn's book, Standing My Ground, after reading Michael Fanone's book earlier this year. These are good men, doing great things. I watch Harry every time he is interviewed and find him so interesting. He seems so down to earth and humble. He truly is a hero!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Books for this ARC!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Books for this ARC!
January 10, 2024
4.25 STARS
Have enjoyed Harry Dunn's interviews by the media over recent months and was prompted to purchase his book in support of his loyalty to the Capitol, our elected officials and our belief in a democratic government.
Standing My Ground is well-written quick read for everyone. Harry Dunn was in the midst of the January 6th, 2021 insurrection of the Capitol. He sustained injuries, trauma and later, PTSD which continues to this day, as do so many other officers who fought long and hard against the insurrectionists. Where were the equipment the Police Officer's needed during the battle? They didn't have their protective equipment, but continued to fight in spite of being at a loss and sustaining more injuries than necessary.
All the while Trump rallied the insurrectionists to "overtake and kill everyone" (from afar and safety). That battle, the injuries and the damage to the Capitol and its possessions mounted into massive expenditures. It's not enough to have them arrested and jailed/imprisoned for the damage done to others and US property. They must be held accountable for the damage they incurred!
Those people who still follow Trump and his lies, please read this book for insight into his anger, lack of honesty and ability to care for others. He's a dictator and is out for himself only, which will turn America into another Hitler-type era and WWIII quickly. Think about that before voting in November. It would be the end of all of us.
VOTE BLUE to keep us SAFE in 2024!
Thank you, Harry Dunn, for writing honestly of your experiences on January 6th, 2021.
Have enjoyed Harry Dunn's interviews by the media over recent months and was prompted to purchase his book in support of his loyalty to the Capitol, our elected officials and our belief in a democratic government.
Standing My Ground is well-written quick read for everyone. Harry Dunn was in the midst of the January 6th, 2021 insurrection of the Capitol. He sustained injuries, trauma and later, PTSD which continues to this day, as do so many other officers who fought long and hard against the insurrectionists. Where were the equipment the Police Officer's needed during the battle? They didn't have their protective equipment, but continued to fight in spite of being at a loss and sustaining more injuries than necessary.
All the while Trump rallied the insurrectionists to "overtake and kill everyone" (from afar and safety). That battle, the injuries and the damage to the Capitol and its possessions mounted into massive expenditures. It's not enough to have them arrested and jailed/imprisoned for the damage done to others and US property. They must be held accountable for the damage they incurred!
Those people who still follow Trump and his lies, please read this book for insight into his anger, lack of honesty and ability to care for others. He's a dictator and is out for himself only, which will turn America into another Hitler-type era and WWIII quickly. Think about that before voting in November. It would be the end of all of us.
VOTE BLUE to keep us SAFE in 2024!
Thank you, Harry Dunn, for writing honestly of your experiences on January 6th, 2021.
October 6, 2023
Standing My Ground is a memoir by Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn, who was on duty defending the Capitol during the MAGA-led insurrection attempt on January 6, 2021. He has also been one of a handful of law enforcement officials who publicly testified before Congress' January Sixth Committee and in various criminal trials against individual rioters. Standing My Ground focuses on Dunn's experience of the day, and the physical and emotional toll of the aftermath. The chapters that describe the events of January 6 are especially evocative. Dunn does not mince words about his feelings towards the rioters or the violation of their assault on the Capitol. I was also moved about how forthright he is in describing the physical and mental trauma he has worked through in the days since. I found the final chapter, in which Dunn walks through his decision to testify publicly as an act of service, to be a bit meandering. It was perhaps the least focused section, as Dunn contextualizes his decision within the larger landscape of various political justice movements. While I appreciate the detailed insight Dunn offers, and the nuance in his influences, I found the conclusion to be a little unwieldy. That said, it was a compelling read.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 27, 2023
Yes, I watched the entirety of the Live coverage of the January 6th attack on our Capitol, and yes, I watched the presentations of the Special Committee. I have subsequently read many of the memoirs by police officers and others who were there that day, and continue to be aware of the extreme threat to our democracy of which that violent event was “the tip of the spear”. Officer Dunn’s narrative is deeply personal, agonizingly honest, and profoundly important. It is also a vivid and extremely well-written memoir. I am glad to have been able to watch some of the numerous interviews Dunn has been courageous enough to participate in, not only for the 1/6 Committee, but also for various commentators on MSNBC, my favorite cable news site. I thank Officer Dunn profoundly for his ongoing service to protect and sustain our Constitution and lawful government, despite the huge personal sacrifice it has entailed.
December 20, 2023
The writing is a 3, the sentiment, passion, truth, and honesty is a 5.
January 23, 2024
This man is the real deal. Unlike some of the other reviewers, I feel that the book was everything I expected and everything I wanted. Harry Dunn is a true hero and I thank him profusely for his excellent work. I will be recommending this book to all my friends.
April 19, 2025
I felt like it was the least I can do and perfect timing to read this account since Trump has now pardoned All Jan. 6th insurrectionists. I cannot imagine what these Capitol Police officers, like Dunn, are feeling now. They went through hell.
November 12, 2023
Riveting!!
I typically read novels. Crime novels and legal thrillers to be exact. But I see Harry Dunn a lot on TV and I’ve been impressed by how real he is when he discusses what happened to him and others. I love that he speaks about mental health so openly, which is rarely done within the Black community, and especially by black men. So I bought his book.
To be honest, I bought the book to support him; I never actually thought I’d read it. I often do that. But this time, I did. And I’m really glad I did. We all know and need to know about January 6th. It impacted us all. But to hear a recounting by someone in the midst of it gives a very different perspective. I learned a lot more about the day during the hours it was all happening thanks to Officer Dunn’s sharing of events from his perspective.
But if you think this is just a book about January 6th, you are wrong. It’s about both our history and our hope. What we endured in our nation’s past and what we need to work on for our future. I hope he gets to fulfill the dreams he has to make an impact. But more, I hope it can inspire me and you to make our own dreams come true.
Time for all of us to get into “good trouble.”
I typically read novels. Crime novels and legal thrillers to be exact. But I see Harry Dunn a lot on TV and I’ve been impressed by how real he is when he discusses what happened to him and others. I love that he speaks about mental health so openly, which is rarely done within the Black community, and especially by black men. So I bought his book.
To be honest, I bought the book to support him; I never actually thought I’d read it. I often do that. But this time, I did. And I’m really glad I did. We all know and need to know about January 6th. It impacted us all. But to hear a recounting by someone in the midst of it gives a very different perspective. I learned a lot more about the day during the hours it was all happening thanks to Officer Dunn’s sharing of events from his perspective.
But if you think this is just a book about January 6th, you are wrong. It’s about both our history and our hope. What we endured in our nation’s past and what we need to work on for our future. I hope he gets to fulfill the dreams he has to make an impact. But more, I hope it can inspire me and you to make our own dreams come true.
Time for all of us to get into “good trouble.”
January 11, 2025
Sorry not sorry, I'm talking politics for a beat.
Harry Dunn's firsthand account of what occurred at the Capitol on January 6th, 2021 is upsetting, sobering and blunt.
I'm already very anti-Trump / MAGA, but this book pushed me further over the edge. The orange menace is a convicted felon, who now can't even own a gun or join the military, but suuuuure, let's give that thin-skinned idiot access to the nukes!!
This was definitely a worthwhile read, and anyone who still questions or makes excuses for the criminals who stormed the Capitol, might be in a cult at this point.
Trump the Insurrectionist should be in prison. Harry says all of this a lot better than me, so please do yourself a favour and dive in!
Harry Dunn's firsthand account of what occurred at the Capitol on January 6th, 2021 is upsetting, sobering and blunt.
I'm already very anti-Trump / MAGA, but this book pushed me further over the edge. The orange menace is a convicted felon, who now can't even own a gun or join the military, but suuuuure, let's give that thin-skinned idiot access to the nukes!!
This was definitely a worthwhile read, and anyone who still questions or makes excuses for the criminals who stormed the Capitol, might be in a cult at this point.
Trump the Insurrectionist should be in prison. Harry says all of this a lot better than me, so please do yourself a favour and dive in!
December 23, 2023
I cried again, reading Officer Dunn’s book. These were never patriots in any sense of the word. They came to destroy, they came to injure and in some cases, kill, those who were elected to serve us and protect our democracy. The true tragedy is that many of those the Capitol Police had taken an oath to protect, turned their collective backs on him and his fellow officers in order to stay loyal to a man who has never cared about our country or our citizens.
November 6, 2023
Harry Dunn is a national treasure! How lucky we were that he was one of the police protecting our democracy on January 6th! His story is compelling, including the history lessons interspersed to help understand where we are as a country, versus where we started. We are not always in a better place. I hope he runs for office some day.
December 30, 2023
I wish to thank Harry Dunn for this moving, powerful memoir of the events in January 6.
Further, Harry Dunn provides his experience in personally dealing with the aftermath of January 6 . He also includes this country's history in obtaining civil rights for minorities including women, Black citizens and the LGBTQ community.
Highly recommend.
Further, Harry Dunn provides his experience in personally dealing with the aftermath of January 6 . He also includes this country's history in obtaining civil rights for minorities including women, Black citizens and the LGBTQ community.
Highly recommend.
May 10, 2024
This important story was compelling and interesting and a good reminder of what I truly don't think we should ever forget.
That said, the (well-deserved and completely valid) anger makes me feel like I can't freely recommend it to the people I think would benefit from it most. (Those who don't understand why January 6th was a problem.)
That said, the (well-deserved and completely valid) anger makes me feel like I can't freely recommend it to the people I think would benefit from it most. (Those who don't understand why January 6th was a problem.)
June 19, 2025
I attended a Democratic fundraiser where Harry Dunn was the guest speaker. So I was eager to listen to him narrate hi00s own memoir in preparation for the event.
It is a candid and heartfelt story about his life, motivations, and inspiration, and listening to him speak in person was a great way to reflect on his story and message of hope for our country.
Overall, I really enjoyed listening to his audiobook and I purchased his children's book at the event with the intent of donating it to a local school.
I love that his parting message was to follow Congressman John Lewis's exhortation to "Get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and help redeem the soul of America."
It is a candid and heartfelt story about his life, motivations, and inspiration, and listening to him speak in person was a great way to reflect on his story and message of hope for our country.
Overall, I really enjoyed listening to his audiobook and I purchased his children's book at the event with the intent of donating it to a local school.
I love that his parting message was to follow Congressman John Lewis's exhortation to "Get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and help redeem the soul of America."
January 15, 2024
Excellent first hand view! I hope he'll make it to congress.
January 28, 2024
Wow, 5 stars is not enough! Officer Harry Dunn does not hold back. I wish him well and I hope he is successful in his run for Congress.
April 14, 2024
Compelling. Written by a Capitol Police Officer who was directly involved in the Jan. 6 insurrection. Good narrator— sounded very believable, “in the moment.”
January 21, 2024
ĹA SHATTERING AND INSIGHTFUL ACCOUNT BY ONE OF THE DEFENDERS OF DEMOCRACY
US Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn wrote in the Prologue to this 2023 book, “We need to talk about our trauma… What has the nation been arguing over for the past two years?... January 6, 2021… The ripples from that day still threaten our democracy. The lives of election workers, the backbone of our electoral systems, are being threatened online via hundreds of messages on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram by those who would disrupt our elections… Domestic terrorists have shot out the electrical power systems for neighborhoods, and they are threatening to do the same for entire cities. Representatives in Congress continue to lie and claim our election system is rigged. Yes, we are still struggling with that day. The only difference between your January 6th trauma and mine is where we were when we experienced it. I was at the Capitol, immersed in a profane mix of sweat, screams, shrieks, anger, fear, blood, death, broken limbs, spit, hatred, horror, racism, bigotry, and heroism… Many of us thought we were going to die. Some of us did. We were cursed, doused with bear and pepper spray; and beaten with sticks, pipes, batons, shields, bike racks, and even the American flag.
“Donald Trump… did nothing to help us for three hours, even after politicians, his friends, and his own children begged him to… We fought for… the lives of … the nation’s elected leaders. It didn’t matter if they were Republican… Democrat or Independent. They were the men and women we sent to Washington to govern our nation. It was our duty to protect them and our democracy… All of us have changed. Some of us, physically, can no longer do the job. Others are haunted daily by what happened, including me. I still struggle with PTSD… But as I tell you about my struggle that day, I want you to remember this… I’m first an American citizen who cares about this country and wants to see it do right… This is my country, and I deserve to know the truth to make sure this doesn’t happen again. We all do.” (Pg. 3-5)
He continues, “So-called American patriots brutally beat the men and women in blue they claimed to hold in such high regard…They did this so they could get inside to attack our elected officials. They wanted to ‘Hang Mike Pence’… Another said she and her friend ‘were looking for [House Speaker Nancy] Pelosi to shoot her in the friggin’ brain.’ They said they were there to stop the will of the people and halt our 224-year history of the peaceful transfer of power. These weren’t the international thugs and terrorists of the movies… Instead, these were people from our own communities…. Thousands of them screaming, spitting hate, and all with allegiance to one man: Donald Trump.” (Pg. 6-7)
He goes on, “We’ve had some horrible things happen here… Still, nobody is jumping on boats to flee America like they are doing all over the world. Why? Because it’s America. That’s why January 6th hurt so much. It was a frightening wake-up call that our democracy… can be taken from us if we don’t protect it. My fellow officers and I gave it our all on January 6th. We stood our ground, and because we did, our democracy is still standing… There is no martial law. There is no National Guard patrolling our streets.” (Pg. 11)
He recounts that on January 6th, “I had no reason to believe that violence was headed our way… A large crowd isn’t necessarily a red flag for us… Mixed in with them were members of the Proud Boys. You could identify them by their orange pullover hats. The Proud Boys are… [a] fascist street gang that promotes violence. They are so heinous that they have been banned from most social networks… They are also strong Trump supporters… Years later, when Trump was asked to specifically denounce the Proud Boys during his 2020 presidential debate … Trump responded, ‘Proud Boys---stand back and stand by. But I’ll tell you what, somebody’s got to do something about antifa and the left.’” (Pg. 73-74)
He recalls, “When I got to the west side… In what seemed like a sea of people, Capitol Police officers and Metropolitan DC Police (MPD) officers were fighting … hand-to-hand with rioters across the west lawn… I could see rioters hitting officers with flagpoles, sticks, and metal bike racks they had torn apart… Many of them were blinded and coughing after being doused with pepper spray, bear spray… We used the water I brought to wash the irritant out of their eyes, and then… they went back into the fight.” (Pg. 77-78) “I had been fighting through hallways and stairwells against a mob that knew what it was doing. They knew why they were there. They even told me. That anyone could dismiss it as anything other than a concerted assault enraged me.” (Pg. 112)
During the later impeachment trial, he was interviewed, and an article was written: “The article had done something. While the politicians and pundits were separating into their partisan camps, each trying to turn their version of January 6th into the accepted version, I had been able to tell my story… that represented so many of my fellow officers. That felt good. That felt like I was helping… Why not continue to do something?” (Pg. 119-120)
He notes, “With the second impeachment of Donald Trump under way, it became clear to me that the Republican Party had no intention of holding anyone responsible for the attempted insurrection… it felt like I was being told that what happened on January 6th was all in my imagination. Or that… it was the fault of nameless, random wingnuts who got a little too carried away. But... I fought these insurrectionists. I spoke with them. I know what they wanted to do, and I know who sent them. And what made it all worse was that I was hearing these lies from the Americans I protected that day… They stood behind us as we faced the attackers. And now these Americans stood … [in] the very Senate chamber that we had protected … and voted to acquit Trump?” (Pg. 125)
He observes, “What assembled that day was a murderous mob out for blood and destruction… As soon as they heard that the vice president wasn’t going to try to overturn the election, they started chanting, ‘Hang Mike Pence. Hang Mike Pence.’ We could hear them as we stood at our posts at the Capitol… Then they built gallows with a noose on the Capitol grounds as a symbol of their intentions. Was that a peaceful protest?... They had already designed and cut the pieces to make the structure days before they arrived in Washington…. Violence was their goal from the beginning.” (Pg. 137) He adds, “Probably half the people we fought off that day were drunk. That’s right, drunk ‘patriots.’ I smelled the alcohol on them. All of us did.” (Pg. 138)
He summarizes, “And when it was over and their master, Donald Trump, patted them on their heads and told them to go home, the insurrectionists wimped away and hid like cowards. They didn’t ‘stop the steal.’ They didn’t protect democracy. If anything, they weakened it. For all the talk, for all the bluster, for all the lies, for all the plans, they traveled to the nation’s Capitol from hundreds of miles away and left without accomplishing anything---except brutality, destruction, and death.” (Pg. 144)
He recounts, “As I told the January 6th committee when I testified, I was called a n----r as I was protecting a corridor and giving time for Nancy Pelosi’s staff to escape to safety. It was first uttered by a woman in a pink MAGA shirt… Many of my Black Capitol Police colleagues had stories like mine… we were wearing our uniforms and badges, signifying our service to our nation. But… we were throw-away people to be despised, hated, and derided… merely because of the color or our skin.” (Pg. 157-158)
He notes, “the insurrectionists came to the Capitol based on lies they wanted to believe, and many lies they already believed. What gives them so much traction is that … the crazies keep finding each other on the internet. The Pizzagate nuts, the QAnon wackos, the Alex Jones idiots. They had their little Q signs and emblems pinned on their clothes on January 6th. We saw them. This stuff is so insane, it’s hard for me to believe anybody takes it seriously, but they do.” (Pg. 159)
He concludes, “The hitman was Donald Trump, and he needs to answer for his crime... Do I want Trump to be convicted in Georgia and go to jail for all of the other lies he perpetuated around the election he lost? The answer is yes. Would I like him to go to jail on the federal charges that he held on to top-secret documents… he clearly intended to steal? Definitely. But … it won’t give me even close to the satisfaction I would get from seeing him tried and convicted for what happened on January 6th… I personally want Trump to directly pay for what he did to my fellow officers and me. Police officers lost their lives because of that he did.” (Pg. 207) But “Even if Trump is convicted… even if he goes to jail… it won’t be over. All those politicians who are rallying around him and his philosophy of hate will still support him when he is behind bars.” (Pg. 208) “Part of my inspiration is the men and women I fought with on January 6th. They never backed down… I promise I will do the same. I will always be standing my ground.” (Pg. 226)
This powerful book will be ‘must reading’ for anyone studying the January 6th insurrection.
US Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn wrote in the Prologue to this 2023 book, “We need to talk about our trauma… What has the nation been arguing over for the past two years?... January 6, 2021… The ripples from that day still threaten our democracy. The lives of election workers, the backbone of our electoral systems, are being threatened online via hundreds of messages on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram by those who would disrupt our elections… Domestic terrorists have shot out the electrical power systems for neighborhoods, and they are threatening to do the same for entire cities. Representatives in Congress continue to lie and claim our election system is rigged. Yes, we are still struggling with that day. The only difference between your January 6th trauma and mine is where we were when we experienced it. I was at the Capitol, immersed in a profane mix of sweat, screams, shrieks, anger, fear, blood, death, broken limbs, spit, hatred, horror, racism, bigotry, and heroism… Many of us thought we were going to die. Some of us did. We were cursed, doused with bear and pepper spray; and beaten with sticks, pipes, batons, shields, bike racks, and even the American flag.
“Donald Trump… did nothing to help us for three hours, even after politicians, his friends, and his own children begged him to… We fought for… the lives of … the nation’s elected leaders. It didn’t matter if they were Republican… Democrat or Independent. They were the men and women we sent to Washington to govern our nation. It was our duty to protect them and our democracy… All of us have changed. Some of us, physically, can no longer do the job. Others are haunted daily by what happened, including me. I still struggle with PTSD… But as I tell you about my struggle that day, I want you to remember this… I’m first an American citizen who cares about this country and wants to see it do right… This is my country, and I deserve to know the truth to make sure this doesn’t happen again. We all do.” (Pg. 3-5)
He continues, “So-called American patriots brutally beat the men and women in blue they claimed to hold in such high regard…They did this so they could get inside to attack our elected officials. They wanted to ‘Hang Mike Pence’… Another said she and her friend ‘were looking for [House Speaker Nancy] Pelosi to shoot her in the friggin’ brain.’ They said they were there to stop the will of the people and halt our 224-year history of the peaceful transfer of power. These weren’t the international thugs and terrorists of the movies… Instead, these were people from our own communities…. Thousands of them screaming, spitting hate, and all with allegiance to one man: Donald Trump.” (Pg. 6-7)
He goes on, “We’ve had some horrible things happen here… Still, nobody is jumping on boats to flee America like they are doing all over the world. Why? Because it’s America. That’s why January 6th hurt so much. It was a frightening wake-up call that our democracy… can be taken from us if we don’t protect it. My fellow officers and I gave it our all on January 6th. We stood our ground, and because we did, our democracy is still standing… There is no martial law. There is no National Guard patrolling our streets.” (Pg. 11)
He recounts that on January 6th, “I had no reason to believe that violence was headed our way… A large crowd isn’t necessarily a red flag for us… Mixed in with them were members of the Proud Boys. You could identify them by their orange pullover hats. The Proud Boys are… [a] fascist street gang that promotes violence. They are so heinous that they have been banned from most social networks… They are also strong Trump supporters… Years later, when Trump was asked to specifically denounce the Proud Boys during his 2020 presidential debate … Trump responded, ‘Proud Boys---stand back and stand by. But I’ll tell you what, somebody’s got to do something about antifa and the left.’” (Pg. 73-74)
He recalls, “When I got to the west side… In what seemed like a sea of people, Capitol Police officers and Metropolitan DC Police (MPD) officers were fighting … hand-to-hand with rioters across the west lawn… I could see rioters hitting officers with flagpoles, sticks, and metal bike racks they had torn apart… Many of them were blinded and coughing after being doused with pepper spray, bear spray… We used the water I brought to wash the irritant out of their eyes, and then… they went back into the fight.” (Pg. 77-78) “I had been fighting through hallways and stairwells against a mob that knew what it was doing. They knew why they were there. They even told me. That anyone could dismiss it as anything other than a concerted assault enraged me.” (Pg. 112)
During the later impeachment trial, he was interviewed, and an article was written: “The article had done something. While the politicians and pundits were separating into their partisan camps, each trying to turn their version of January 6th into the accepted version, I had been able to tell my story… that represented so many of my fellow officers. That felt good. That felt like I was helping… Why not continue to do something?” (Pg. 119-120)
He notes, “With the second impeachment of Donald Trump under way, it became clear to me that the Republican Party had no intention of holding anyone responsible for the attempted insurrection… it felt like I was being told that what happened on January 6th was all in my imagination. Or that… it was the fault of nameless, random wingnuts who got a little too carried away. But... I fought these insurrectionists. I spoke with them. I know what they wanted to do, and I know who sent them. And what made it all worse was that I was hearing these lies from the Americans I protected that day… They stood behind us as we faced the attackers. And now these Americans stood … [in] the very Senate chamber that we had protected … and voted to acquit Trump?” (Pg. 125)
He observes, “What assembled that day was a murderous mob out for blood and destruction… As soon as they heard that the vice president wasn’t going to try to overturn the election, they started chanting, ‘Hang Mike Pence. Hang Mike Pence.’ We could hear them as we stood at our posts at the Capitol… Then they built gallows with a noose on the Capitol grounds as a symbol of their intentions. Was that a peaceful protest?... They had already designed and cut the pieces to make the structure days before they arrived in Washington…. Violence was their goal from the beginning.” (Pg. 137) He adds, “Probably half the people we fought off that day were drunk. That’s right, drunk ‘patriots.’ I smelled the alcohol on them. All of us did.” (Pg. 138)
He summarizes, “And when it was over and their master, Donald Trump, patted them on their heads and told them to go home, the insurrectionists wimped away and hid like cowards. They didn’t ‘stop the steal.’ They didn’t protect democracy. If anything, they weakened it. For all the talk, for all the bluster, for all the lies, for all the plans, they traveled to the nation’s Capitol from hundreds of miles away and left without accomplishing anything---except brutality, destruction, and death.” (Pg. 144)
He recounts, “As I told the January 6th committee when I testified, I was called a n----r as I was protecting a corridor and giving time for Nancy Pelosi’s staff to escape to safety. It was first uttered by a woman in a pink MAGA shirt… Many of my Black Capitol Police colleagues had stories like mine… we were wearing our uniforms and badges, signifying our service to our nation. But… we were throw-away people to be despised, hated, and derided… merely because of the color or our skin.” (Pg. 157-158)
He notes, “the insurrectionists came to the Capitol based on lies they wanted to believe, and many lies they already believed. What gives them so much traction is that … the crazies keep finding each other on the internet. The Pizzagate nuts, the QAnon wackos, the Alex Jones idiots. They had their little Q signs and emblems pinned on their clothes on January 6th. We saw them. This stuff is so insane, it’s hard for me to believe anybody takes it seriously, but they do.” (Pg. 159)
He concludes, “The hitman was Donald Trump, and he needs to answer for his crime... Do I want Trump to be convicted in Georgia and go to jail for all of the other lies he perpetuated around the election he lost? The answer is yes. Would I like him to go to jail on the federal charges that he held on to top-secret documents… he clearly intended to steal? Definitely. But … it won’t give me even close to the satisfaction I would get from seeing him tried and convicted for what happened on January 6th… I personally want Trump to directly pay for what he did to my fellow officers and me. Police officers lost their lives because of that he did.” (Pg. 207) But “Even if Trump is convicted… even if he goes to jail… it won’t be over. All those politicians who are rallying around him and his philosophy of hate will still support him when he is behind bars.” (Pg. 208) “Part of my inspiration is the men and women I fought with on January 6th. They never backed down… I promise I will do the same. I will always be standing my ground.” (Pg. 226)
This powerful book will be ‘must reading’ for anyone studying the January 6th insurrection.
February 3, 2024
Thank you to Hatchett publishing for the advanced copy of this book!! I am glad to be able to hear from the perspective of one who was working in the chaos of that day. I can't imagine how hard that must have been and to still watch as people try to tear down our democratic institutions, especially the peaceful transfer of power.
July 31, 2023
Harry Dunn is a Capitol Police Officer who was fighting against the insurrectionists on January 6, 2021. He and his fellow officers fought for the safety of our lawmakers and our democracy and they all paid a high price. Many of them were injured, both physically and emotionally, and some of them gave their life trying to protect the will of the people.
Mr. Dunn freely admits that he made mistakes, but he never gave up. He was pepper sprayed and beat, but he fought through it all. And now, when it is long over, he still fights his demons from that day every single time he has to go to work. He testified at the Oath Keepers trial even at the risk of his own safety and that of his family, because Mr. Dunn believes in democracy and our right to free and fair elections.
This book should become a must read. There are too many people who still believe that January 6 was just an ordinary day or that it was a protest that got a little out of hand. This book lays out the facts. It is the true story from a man who was in the midst of it all. I am grateful to him for his honesty and integrity. This is a 5 star read because of its relevance and importance in today’s political climate. It’s hard to put down and, if you believe in justice and democracy, you should read it.
Thank you, NetGalley and Hachette Books for the advanced copy.
Mr. Dunn freely admits that he made mistakes, but he never gave up. He was pepper sprayed and beat, but he fought through it all. And now, when it is long over, he still fights his demons from that day every single time he has to go to work. He testified at the Oath Keepers trial even at the risk of his own safety and that of his family, because Mr. Dunn believes in democracy and our right to free and fair elections.
This book should become a must read. There are too many people who still believe that January 6 was just an ordinary day or that it was a protest that got a little out of hand. This book lays out the facts. It is the true story from a man who was in the midst of it all. I am grateful to him for his honesty and integrity. This is a 5 star read because of its relevance and importance in today’s political climate. It’s hard to put down and, if you believe in justice and democracy, you should read it.
Thank you, NetGalley and Hachette Books for the advanced copy.
November 29, 2023
An excellent book about one officer who worked the day of the insurrection on not only our capital but also our country and democracy. He, along with his fellow officers fought for hours against many right wing militants. The book talks about the boyhood, and young adult, Harry Dunn. The insurrection and subsequent aftermath. It was a good read for the politics of today.
January 11, 2024
Reading Officer Dunn's first-hand account of the Jan. 6 insurrection was harrowing, angering, and sad as it brought back everything we watched that day. I do wish the book had a bit more "oomph" behind it, though it could be because I listened to the audiobook and the way Dunn read it was sort of stilted and flat.
December 30, 2023
3.5.
In full disclosure, I absolutely LOVE Harry Dunn. I fully admire him not only as a Capitol Officer but as a father and a human being.
That said, while I loved getting a little bit of a dive into his life & the aftermath of the J6 attack - reading what he's dealing with & how he's healing, I would have liked to read more insider details about the event as it unfolded. The book could have been longer & pieced together better. I think that's on his editor, not on the author.
I think he's got a lot to say & I, for one want to hear it. I think Mr Dunn is a force in this world. I believe he is doing and will continue to do big things and I cannot wait to see it all.
In full disclosure, I absolutely LOVE Harry Dunn. I fully admire him not only as a Capitol Officer but as a father and a human being.
That said, while I loved getting a little bit of a dive into his life & the aftermath of the J6 attack - reading what he's dealing with & how he's healing, I would have liked to read more insider details about the event as it unfolded. The book could have been longer & pieced together better. I think that's on his editor, not on the author.
I think he's got a lot to say & I, for one want to hear it. I think Mr Dunn is a force in this world. I believe he is doing and will continue to do big things and I cannot wait to see it all.
January 2, 2024
I honestly can’t think of a better book to read as we start a new year, a presidential election year. Harry very clearly tells us his experience on Jan 6. He also does a beautiful job of reminding us how our rights have been fought for and won. Harry reiterates that we cannot rest and we cannot give up on our democracy. I salute the courage the Capitol Police and DC police show each and every day they show up to work. Thank you for your truth, Harry.
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