Jan. 6 'likely the largest single-day mass assault' on law enforcement in US history: DC US attorney

The Jan. 6, 2021, attack was "likely the largest single day mass assault of law enforcement officers in our nation's history," the D.C. U.S. attorney said Thursday.

The Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol is "likely the largest single day mass assault of law enforcement officers in our nation's history," D.C. U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves said in remarks Thursday, and three years later, the Justice Department's sprawling investigation into the riot remains far from over with the hunt still on for dozens of participants who are believed to have assaulted officers.

In a nearly hourlong on-camera briefing with reporters, Graves detailed how prosecutors have sought to hold those responsible for the violence accountable -- from individuals involved in various violent assaults, to the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers who organized ahead of the riot and have since been convicted of engaging in seditious conspiracies to halt the electoral certification.

It's the first time Graves has delivered extensive on-camera remarks, providing an overview of his office's investigation into the attack, and comes as public polling suggests more Americans than ever are likely to downplay the significance of the Jan. 6 assault or believe in conspiracy theories that it was instigated by the FBI.

Graves' presentation included a detailed look at the evidence amassed by prosecutors that, to date, his office has only detailed in court filings or in trials at the D.C. federal courthouse -- repeatedly trying to underscore the seriousness of the day's events and the threat the mob posed to lawmakers and American democracy.