Republican Josh Hawley fled January 6 rioters – and Twitter ran with it

Capitol security footage of the Missouri senator spurred laughter during the hearing and spawned online ridicule

The House January 6 committee on Thursday played Capitol security footage which showed the Missouri Republican senator Josh Hawley, who famously raised a fist to protesters outside, running for his safety once those protesters breached the building. It prompted a flurry of online memes ridiculing Hawley fleeing from the very people he had earlier encouraged.

Presenting the committee's case, the Virginia Democrat Elaine Luria showed pictures of House members and senators leaving their chambers.