Vivek Ramaswamy 'vows' to pardon January 6 protesters

Republican presidential nomination seeker Vivek Ramaswamy has vowed to pardon all non-violent January 6 protesters if he is elected as the next US president in 2024.

“America now has a two-tiered justice system: Antifa and BLM rioters roam free while peaceful January 6 protesters are imprisoned without bail. Biden’s ‘Department of Injustice’ has executed over 1,000 arrests for nonviolent offences related to January 6, casting a dark shadow over Lady Justice and the foundational principles of our legal system,” said Ramaswamy.

“To unify this country, I commit as president to pardon all Americans who were targets of politicised federal prosecutions and those denied due process. This includes all peaceful, nonviolent January 6 protesters who were denied their constitutional due process rights," he added.

In the aftermath of the US presidential elections, former president Donald Trump'ssupporters allegedly attempted to overturn the results. The Republican leader was accused of posting messages online to incite violence as over 2,000 people entered the US Capitol, starting a riot.

Will pardon Trump: Ramaswamy

Apart from forgiving the Capitol Hill protesters, Ramaswamy has also batted for pardoning Trump. During a recent interview, Ramaswamy extended his support to Trump and said his aim was to 'reunite' the country.

“If Donald Trump's the nominee -- yes, I will support him, and if I'm the president, yes, I will pardon him because that will help reunite the country. But it's not the most important thing I'm going to do as the next president. It is the table stakes for moving this country forward," Ramaswamy said.

Ramaswamy, a US citizen, born and raised inCincinnati, Ohio has put his hat in the ring to secure a nomination from the Republican party for the 2024 presidential elections. He is up against former president Donald Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Mike Pence and other heavyweights.

Despite starting as an underdog, Ramaswamy has made rapid strides in the race, especially after the first Republican debateheld last month. The entrepreneur was subjected to a barrage of verbal tirades from other Republican leaders but managed to hold his own and emerge as one of the biggest beneficiaries of the GOP primary debate.

(With inputs from agencies)

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