Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri is being mocked over a video showing him running through the Capitol to get away from rioters on Jan. 6, 2021.
During Thursday’s primetime hearing, the video was shared by Rep. Elaine Luria of Virginia after a photo of him raising his fist in solidarity with pro-Trump protesters was displayed.
“We spoke with a Capitol Police officer who was out there at the time,” Luria said. “She told us that Senator Hawley’s gesture riled up the crowd. And it bothered her greatly because he was doing it in a safe space protected by the officers and the barriers”.
“Later that day, Senator Hawley fled after those protesters he helped to rile up stormed the Capitol. See for yourself,” she added.
A short, slow-motion clip of Hawley running was met with laughter from those watching while others criticized him.
The video has gone viral on social media, with many turning it into memes or playing it with funny music.
One account on Twitter has several posts of “Josh Hawley running away to a variety of soundtracks,” including “Chariots of Fire,” “Rocky,” and “Born to Run”.
Former Capitol Police officer Michael Fanone told Politico “To be completely honest, give you my like, first thoughts that popped into my mind was Josh Hawley is a bitch and he ran like a b****”.
During a speech at Turning Point USA’s conference in Florida on Friday, Hawley said “And I just want to say to all of those liberals out there and the liberal media, just in case you haven’t gotten the message yet, I do not regret it”.
“And I am not backing down. I’m not gonna apologize, I’m not gonna cower, I’m not gonna run from you,” he added.
He also began promoting a coffee mug that bore the image of him raising his fist and said “Show-me strong”.
“Remember: Even after running for his life, Sen. Hawley chose to fundraise off his encouraging and fist-pumping the violent mob, and even sold merchandise of himself doing so from then through *this year* – even after Politico, who later acquired the image, sent a cease and desist,” said NY Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.