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Tucker Carlson attacks Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn, calls him an angry 'activist'

Fox News host Tucker Carlson attacked Harry Dunn, a U.S. Capitol Police officer who fended off rioters at the Capitol on Jan. 6, during his Wednesday night broadcast.

The often-incendiary interviewer was criticizing the Democrat-led special committee that will investigate the events of Jan. 6 and noted that Dunn will testify about his experience Tuesday, calling into question the officer’s objectivity.

“Dunn will pretend to speak for the country’s law enforcement community,” Carlson said. “But it turns out Dunn has very little in common with your average cop. Dunn is an angry left-wing political activist.”

Late Wednesday, Dunn’s lawyers issued a joint response to Carlson’s attack, writing that Dunn would “lay down his life to protect a Member of Congress, regardless of being a Republican or Democrat.”

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“Tonight Fox News allowed its host Tucker Carlson, who has not served a day in uniform, whether military or law enforcement, to criticize the heroism and service of African-American U.S. Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn,” reads the statement, posted to Twitter by one of Dunn’s lawyers, Mark Zaid. “Our client has served 13 years in law enforcement and on January 6, 2021, fought against an insurrectionist violent crowd — no doubt many of them Carlson’s supporters — to protect the lives of our elected officials, including Vice President Pence.”

Gladys Sicknick, left, mother of U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who died from natural causes after he was sprayed with chemicals during the Jan. 6 mob attack on Congress, leaves a meeting with Republican Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin after advocating for creation of an independent commission to investigate the assault, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, May 27, 2021. She is escorted by Harry Dunn, center, a U.S. Capitol Police officer who faced the rioters on Jan. 6., and Sandra Garza, far right, partner of Brian Sicknick.

More: Pelosi rejects GOP picks Jordan, Banks on Jan. 6 committee; McCarthy threatens to pull out

People on social media came to Dunn’s defense, including California Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell.

“Forever grateful to officers like Harry Dunn,” Swalwell tweeted Wednesday night. “He put his body between lawmakers and an armed mob. You know who else Officer Dunn protected…Tucker Carlson’s son, a House staffer.”

A mob of former President Donald Trump's supporters stormed the Capitol Jan. 6 while Congress voted to confirm the Electoral College count affirming Joe Biden's presidential election victory. Members of Congress and Vice President Mike Pence were forced into hiding due to the violence.

Dunn, who is Black, told the Washington Post in a March interview that rioters called him the N-word more than a dozen times, and that Black officers “were fighting a different fight.”

Those officers were “were getting attacked not just physically but verbally,” he told the Post. “That causes pain — lingering pain.”

Fox News did not respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment regarding the lawyers’ statement.

The statement by Dunn’s attorneys made clear that the officer will not be deterred from testifying in front of the committee next week.

“Frankly, the last thing Carlson wants is for the truth to emerge of what happened that day and why,” the statement reads.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tucker Carlson attacks Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn as 'activist'