Supreme Court rejects request to keep identities and conduct of police officers private amid scrutiny of their presence at Trump’s January 6 event.

July 09, 2025: The U.S. Supreme Court, led by Associate Justice Elena Kagan, has ruled against efforts to conceal the identities and actions of police officers who attended the “Stop the Steal” rally on January 6, 2021. These officers had petitioned the court to block the release of their names and details in ongoing legal proceedings.

Officers’ Push for Anonymity

A group of current and former Seattle police officers filed a petition in April, seeking to use pseudonyms in court records and arguing that public disclosure of their participation would violate privacy rights. They claimed that revealing their names could expose them to harassment and undue scrutiny.

However, state courts determined that their presence at the rally was a matter of public interest, ruling against maintaining anonymity. The officers’ request was then escalated to the Supreme Court .

Supreme Court Rejects the Bid

Justice Kagan, writing for a majority of the Court, refused to intervene. The decision affirms the lower court rulings and allows the officers’ names and involvement at the event to remain publicly accessible in the legal proceedings .

Why It Matters

Transparency vs. privacy: The decision highlights the judicial system’s commitment to transparency in matters of public concern, and sets limits on anonymity claims by public officials.

Public trust and accountability: Officers who may have participated in politically charged or controversial events are held accountable by maintaining a public record.

Precedent for future cases: This ruling may influence how courts handle identity protections for public servants involved in contentious incidents later investigated legally.

Next Steps

With this ruling, court documents containing the officers’ names and findings on their conduct remain accessible. Any move to redact or seal parts of these records will be evaluated under the principles reinforced by this decision.

By declining to shield the identities of police officers who attended the Jan. 6 “Stop the Steal” rally, the Supreme Court has reinforced the principle that transparency holds sway—even in cases involving law enforcement personnel in politically charged settings.