Illinois mayor apologizes for saying media lied about riot

THOMASBORO, Ill. (AP) — A central Illinois mayor who attended the Trump rally in Washington that preceded the storming of the Capitol building has apologized for accusing the media of lying about the violence in a video he posted online afterward.

Thomasboro Mayor Tyler Evans, who has faced calls to resign since he posted the video, issued a statement Thursday apologizing for his comments and condemning the violence at the Capitol. He said he made it as far as the Capitol steps and saw very little evidence of violence, and that some people told him they’d been allowed into the building.

“Before I had a full understanding of the actions of rioters who stormed the Capitol, I shared a video reflecting my experience with tens of thousands of peaceful protestors that day. As a result, my remarks were not fully informed on what happened inside the Capitol by extremists,” said the mayor of the Champaign County village. “I take full responsibility for any hurt my words caused, and for that, I am sorry.”

Evans, a Trump supporter, said he went to Washington to peacefully attend the rally and the protest march to the Capitol.

At the rally, Trump, repeated baseless claims that widespread voter fraud had cost him the election. At one point, he told attendees, “If you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore.”

In his apology, Evans didn't address the calls for his resignation.