Mellor describes his January 6 participation as nonviolent in a PBS interview
Vic MellorRepublican congressional primary candidate interviewed by Ian Donnis
Victor Mellor answers questions about January 6 and the clemency for people convicted in the riot, from "One on One with Ian Donnis," Aug. 7, 2026.
Excerpt from 4:44 to 6:52 of the Rhode Island PBS video. DI added its logo in the corner.
Video: Rhode Island PBS. Excerpt used for news reporting and commentary
Watch the full original video (opens in a new tab) (relevant passage: Full episode transcript, Ian Donnis's January 6 and pardon questions in the Mellor interview)
Mellor defends his participation by denying violence and noting that he was neither questioned by the FBI nor arrested. He supports Trump's blanket pardons and points to claims about undercover personnel that he says remain unresolved.
“I'm a J6er, and obviously I did not participate in any kind of violence.”
Original video
Other statements by Vic Mellor in this case
- Vic Mellor defends his January 6 participation and rejects an apologyLater: Defended or excused
- Mellor dismisses the police-officer press conference as a failed stuntLater: Minimized
- Mellor downplays the destruction at the Capitol during the NBC 10 debateLater: Minimized
Where this statement fits
Was Vic Mellor justified in participating in the January 6 Capitol events?
Vic Mellor, the Republican nominee for Rhode Island's 2nd Congressional District, defends his January 6, 2021 participation as legitimate protest and denies taking part in violence. Democratic incumbent Seth Magaziner condemns that participation as support for an attack on democracy. Their disagreement came to a public confrontation outside the Rhode Island State House in Providence on September 10, 2026, when Mellor attended Magaziner's press conference and then answered reporters' questions.
Source and context
Original video
About this source
Mellor denies involvement in violence and supports the blanket pardons. Donnis presses him about clemency for people convicted of assaulting police.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Watch the clip from this source at the top of the page.
Before the quotation
Donnis asks whether Mellor supports pardons for people convicted of assaulting police. Mellor says he supports the pardons and describes himself as a participant.
After the quotation
Donnis presses the tension between opposing violence and supporting clemency. Mellor says the pardon was a blanket one and that he does not possess all the information.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The case concerns Mellor's own January 6 participation. He treats that participation as acceptable and distinguishes himself from people who committed violence.
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More from this case
Read the full caseMagaziner condemns Mellor's account of January 6 at the NBC 10 debate
“any attempt to whitewash it is absolutely despicable”Read statement
Magaziner rejects Mellor's account of January 6 as conspiracy theories
“lost in a sea of conspiracy theories”Read statement
Ahlquist calls Mellor's account of January 6 disqualifying
“Either option is disqualifying in my mind, and I saw no reason to amplify his talking points.”Read statement
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- Mellor describes his January 6 participation as nonviolent in a PBS interview
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The Dispute Index. "Mellor describes his January 6 participation as nonviolent in a PBS interview". First published: 2026-11-01. Last updated: 2026-11-01. https://disputeindex.com/events/7646-mellor-defends-his-participation-by-denying-violence-and