During the intrusion of pro-Trump activists into Congress on January 6, Eugene Goodman, a Capitol Hill security officer, hijacked a crowd of attackers to give senators time to be evacuated.

In the United States, the man is seen as a hero and is now known as "the man who saved the Senate".

The video toured social networks and nearly a week after the fact, we realize the scope of Eugene Goodman's gesture, now seen as a hero.

The police officer indeed diverted a crowd of assailants from the entrance to the Senate where many parliamentarians were refugees.

On the video, published by a reporter from 

HuffPost

, we see him intervening, alone, in front of the rioters, with a lot of cold blood.

Here's the scary moment when protesters initially got into the building from the first floor and made their way outside Senate chamber.

pic.twitter.com/CfVIBsgywK

- Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) January 6, 2021

He steps back to keep the crowd away

He hesitates to draw his weapon, picks up a telescopic baton, pushes an assailant with his hand, and slowly backs up, never really running away.

The man in uniform climbs the stairs, leading the rioters in pursuit.

He is in fact playing the bait to keep the crowd away from the Senate Chamber, where the parliamentarians are still located.

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Valuable minutes saved

We see him at one point glance to the left, towards the open door of the hemicycle, and then go to the right, provoking the riot at the head of the crowd, so that he follows him up the stairs.

These few minutes saved will allow the senators to be evacuated, because we now know that supporters of Donald Trump were coming to get them.

Later, they will eventually enter an empty Senate.

A symbol

A black policeman, alone, facing a group of rioters, all white, and who saves the elected representatives of the people: a symbol and a heroism hailed on social networks, and in the media.

Some are calling for a medal for Eugene Goodman.

"Remember his name, he saved lives," wrote a CNN reporter.

Father of a family, former soldier deployed in Iraq, and therefore an officer of the Capitol Police, Eugene Goodman is now nicknamed: "the man who saved the Senate".