Pardoned January 6 Rioter Who Attacked Police Celebrated at Church

Staff Writer
January 6 rioter Derek Kinnison (right) addresses churchgoers in Temecula, California. (Photo: X)

Not too long ago, attacking police officers was widely regarded as a criminal act, one that resulted in serious legal consequences. But with the mass pardon of January 6 rioters by President Donald Trump, a dangerous shift in perception has occurred. Those who once faced charges for assaulting law enforcement are now being hailed as heroes by Trump supporters.

This past weekend, Derek Kinnison, a 43-year-old man from Lake Elsinore, California, was celebrated in his hometown church following his pardon for his role in the violent storming of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Kinnison, who had been sentenced to 33 months in prison, was greeted with a standing ovation from the congregation at 412 Church Temecula Valley. As he took the stage, Kinnison told the crowd, “Let my people go,” a reference to the biblical Exodus, evoking strong applause from his supporters.

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“Certainly, nine months ago when he was going into prison, we all wept with this family as they wept. But today, we rejoice with them as they rejoice,” said Pastor Tim Thompson, who welcomed Kinnison and his family with warmth and praise.

Kinnison, a member of the far-right militia group Three Percenters, was part of a violent mob that launched an attack on the Capitol building. Along with fellow militia members, Kinnison helped incite a crowd of rioters who pushed through police barricades and clashed with law enforcement, injuring nearly 150 officers. The violence on January 6 left a lasting scar on American democracy, and several officers who responded to the attack have since died by suicide, including four who took their own lives in the weeks following the assault.

Kinnison’s role in the violence was not only about physical confrontation. According to the Department of Justice, he and his fellow rioters had coordinated their travel to Washington, D.C., equipped with weapons, including ballistic vests, bear spray, and handguns, with the aim of obstructing the certification of the 2020 presidential election. They even went so far as to erase evidence of their plans—deleting their Telegram chat, where they had organized their actions—once the chaos subsided.

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Kinnison was convicted of conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding and obstruction of an official proceeding, but in one of his first acts of his second term, Trump granted pardons to many of those involved in the Capitol attack, including Kinnison. This move has been widely criticized by those who believe that the rioters should be held accountable for their actions. For some, however, like those at 412 Church, Kinnison’s release is seen as a triumph.

While Kinnison’s supporters cheered his return, others, like former Capitol Police officer Michael Fanone, who was severely injured during the riot, are deeply disheartened by the pardons. Speaking to CNN, Fanone expressed his anger at the decision, saying, “I have been betrayed by my country… and I have been betrayed by those who supported Donald Trump.”

Fanone, who suffered a heart attack and was knocked unconscious during the attack, lamented that the rioters who assaulted him and hundreds of other officers would now be free, thanks to the pardons. He also revealed that he and his family have faced death threats since the events of January 6.

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Kinnison, who previously claimed he was “training to become a deacon,” has seen an outpouring of support since his release. Donations have poured in to help cover his legal fees, and some supporters have gone as far as to call him a “patriot” for his actions.

As Kinnison’s story continues to unfold, one thing remains clear: the events surrounding the January 6 riot, and the subsequent pardons for those involved, have sparked a fierce debate over what it means to be a “hero” and who gets to decide.

Kinnison’s attorney, Nicolai Cocis, confirmed that his client and others involved in the attack came prepared for violence, carrying “ballistic vests, bear spray, gas masks, handguns and shotguns for defense against Antifa [an anti-fascist left-wing group].”

For now, Kinnison and his fellow pardoned rioters are being embraced as heroes by some, but for others, their actions are a painful reminder of a day when the Capitol was overrun and democracy itself was threatened.

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