DC Cop Carlton Wilhoit on What Brought Him Hope after Chaos

I first met DC officer Carlton Wilhoit last June when a picture of him kneeling with a Black Lives Matter protestor in downtown Washington was featured in The Washington Post.

I interviewed him and my great-nephew Ryan Moore—both police officers, both victims of violence, with lots to say about protests against police after the killing of George Floyd. 

And then, just three weeks ago on January 6 when rioters protesting the election stormed the Capitol there he was on Instagram—that’s Carlton in the photo below on the far right with his hand on a fellow officer’s shoulder in the crush of the rioting on the West Lawn of the Capitol.

I talked to him again this week after he worked to protect the Inauguration route and asked him about these experiences—and, as always, my city’s finest was witness to the best and worst of us and spoke of connection and hope.

Tell me what happened to you on January 6…

At first things were calm and mellow—we were staged on Constitution avenue helping Trump supporters find their way to the Ellipse and Metro stops, a few even said “Thanks for your service.”

Next thing we know we get orders to get into riot gear and head towards the Capitol. But we had no idea of the magnitude of the crowds and that people were already inside.

As soon as we got there we heard the shouts of “traitors” “enemy of the state,” one of them even called me a “Star Wars trooper.” Then the crush started, and we were getting pushed back so we created a line, similar to what happened last summer during the Black Lives Matter protests, but this was different. They were grabbing our helmets, throwing things at us, hitting us with flag poles and pieces of scaffolding from the Inauguration stands. And the bear spray—it’s worse than mace, it’s thick and bright orange and really heavy and burns as soon as it hits your body.

This was a battle.

When we finally pushed through to the Capitol building it got worse, it got more dangerous and more personal. People saying it was their Capitol and this was a steal. One guy did ask me if I understood why they were doing this. He told me he served in the military and wanted me to understand why he felt the way he did. And while typically we’re not supposed to engage with a protestor, I told him “This is not the time or place, nor do I understand why you are doing this.”

But most of them were so angry they didn’t even make sense, some of them were almost in a daze, it was almost demonic. These people hated us. And that’s when I was truly afraid.

Did you feel particularly vulnerable because you are African American?

There were no racial slurs, I have to say, it seemed it was my uniform that represented an oppressive state. But once we got inside and were trying to hold the entrance way one of my fellow officers, Daniel Hodges, was almost crushed to death.

And I remember feeling targeted then, and afraid of what would have happened to me if I got dragged outside into that crowd.

Compare this to the protests back in May and June?

The people in the Black Lives Matter movement were there because they were angry, and afraid and concerned about reforming the criminal justice system. These were people who themselves or whose family members had suffered police brutality and it felt like the whole world was out there to protest.

This was just different. It was like a cult, it felt super evil and there was actually a lack of passion. It felt like entitlement to me, like they were saying this is my Capitol and you stole the vote.

And while there were definitely agitators at both rallies bent on stirring up violence, none of the BLM protestors laid a hand on us, they didn’t spit on us, they didn’t hit us, they just shouted. These people were out to hurt us.

Last spring felt like a demand for change, this just felt like destruction.

What was the Inauguration like?

It’s funny, once again I was positioned on Constitution Avenue. But it was so quiet. I was able to see the motorcade with both the new Vice President and the President drive right by me towards the Capitol and I remember a sense of relief, and I thought, man, two weeks ago we were defending that building and now they’re heading there to be sworn in.

I watched on my phone and saw them come out of those golden doors, the same golden doors we were holding fast while people banged and shouted and tried to break down.

And we stopped it. And that’s what gave me a sense of hope.