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Was a Washington police officer carrying a Confederate flag at the Capitol insurrection?

By Christiana Dillard
NO

A social media post implies that Washington, D.C., police officer Michael Fanone and Kevin Seefried, alleged to have carried a Confederate flag inside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, are the same man. Photos of the two men, who bear a resemblance, are juxtaposed in the post.

Fanone was working to deter the chaos that day. He testified before a House committee on July 27, 2021, that he was threatened, tased, beaten unconscious and suffered a heart attack and brain injuries.

Seefried, who is from Delaware, has been charged with "Knowingly Entering or Remaining in any Restricted Building or Grounds Without Lawful Authority" and "Violent Entry and Disorderly Conduct on Capitol Grounds."

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Lead Stories is a fact checking and debunking website at the intersection of big data and journalism that launched in 2015. It scouts for trending stories, images, videos and posts that contain false information in order to fact check them as quickly as possible. It actively monitors the fake-news ecosystem and doesn’t wait for reader tips or reports before getting started on a story.
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