Police are not the heroes of the Capitol riots

Cops overwhelmingly backed Trump in the election and were well represented among the rioters on Jan. 6

A line of riot cops form a perimeter outside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. (Tyler Merbler / CC-BY 2.0)

One year ago, police were gassing, beating, ramming with their cars, and otherwise brutalizing protesters participating in the largest civil rights demonstration in American history. Public opinion about policing…