Judge Rules January 6 Events Were an Insurrection

Tennessee man's defamation lawsuit against local TV station dismissed

Mar. 31, 2026 at 5:00am

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A quiet, cinematic painting of an empty government building in warm, diagonal sunlight and deep shadows, conceptually illustrating the political tension and unease surrounding the January 6 events.The court's ruling affirms the widespread judicial view that the January 6 events at the U.S. Capitol were an insurrection, despite some participants' attempts to dispute the characterization.Knoxville Today

A Tennessee man who participated in the January 6 events at the U.S. Capitol recently lost a defamation lawsuit against a Knoxville TV station that had labeled the incidents an 'insurrection'. The court ruled that the station's reporting was fair and accurate, citing multiple other courts that have also described the events as an insurrection.

Why it matters

The ruling affirms the widespread view among the judiciary that the January 6 events at the Capitol amounted to an insurrection, despite some participants' attempts to downplay or deny the characterization. It also highlights the challenges in trying to dispute factual media reports through defamation lawsuits, especially when the reports are based on official court proceedings.

The details

Shannon Bitzer sued WBIR, a Knoxville TV station, for defamation after it reported on his involvement in the January 6 events at the U.S. Capitol, describing them as an 'insurrection'. Bitzer argued the station's use of that term was false, even though he did not contest the factual details of his actions that day, which included illegally entering the Capitol, fighting with police, and throwing a metal crowd control device. The court dismissed Bitzer's lawsuit, ruling that WBIR's reporting was a fair and accurate summary of the criminal charges he faced, and noting that multiple courts have previously described the January 6 events as an insurrection.

  • The January 6 events occurred in 2021.
  • Bitzer filed the defamation lawsuit in 2025.
  • The court dismissed Bitzer's lawsuit in March 2026.

The players

Shannon Bitzer

A Tennessee man who participated in the January 6 events at the U.S. Capitol and later filed a defamation lawsuit against a local TV station for labeling the incidents an 'insurrection'.

WBIR

A Knoxville, Tennessee television station that reported on Bitzer's involvement in the January 6 events, describing them as an 'insurrection'.

D.C. District Court

The federal court that had previously described the January 6 events as an 'insurrection' in multiple cases, which the court cited in its ruling against Bitzer.

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What they’re saying

“Bitzer reminds me of the old saying, 'often wrong, never uncertain.' He is tenacious, if not successful.”

— Jack Greiner, Columnist

“a dismissal of charges based on a presidential pardon is not, as plaintiff claims, an 'acquittal' and is not a dismissal on the ground that the charges are 'baseless.'”

— The Court

What’s next

The court's ruling affirming the 'insurrection' characterization of the January 6 events is likely to be cited in future legal proceedings and political debates surrounding that day's events.

The takeaway

This case highlights the difficulty in disputing factual media reports through defamation lawsuits, especially when the reports are based on official court proceedings. It also underscores the widespread judicial consensus that the January 6 events at the U.S. Capitol amounted to an insurrection, despite some participants' attempts to downplay or deny that characterization.