WEST PLAM BEACH, Fla. — Tuesday's criminal indictment against former President Donald Trump is a step toward accountability or an act of political prosecution for individuals, who were near the capitol on Jan. 6, 2023.
WPTV spoke with multiple individuals who were near the Capitol on the day protesters entered the building on Tuesday. Their viewpoint on the charges, the second federal indictment against the president, differed based on their perspective from the day.
Sharon Nichols, who is a communications worker for Democratic Rep. U.S. Holmes Norton, said she hid under a desk in a dark locked office near the Capitol. She arrived at the Capitol to receive her COVID-19 shot, but the order to evacuate and seek shelter came while she was being monitored for any side effects.
"I was balancing having the volume on the TV loud enough to where I could hear what was going on, but soft enough to where somebody from the hallway couldn't hear it," Nichols told WPTV's Ethan Stein.
She created a support group for other people, who were around the capitol on January 6th, to help workers navigate their trauma. Nichols said she believes Trump deserves blame for the protester's actions.
Tampa residents Thomas and Marilyn Fassell, who were convicted for their roles in the protest, said they believe people are preventing Trump from running again.
"It’s crazy because they’re just trying to prevent him from running again," Thomas Fassell told WPTV's Chris Gilmore. "He did the right thing for us in this country."
"We love President trump," Marilyn Fassell said. "He’ll always be our president."
