TOPSHAM — A Waldoboro man pardoned by President Donald Trump following his conviction for assaulting police officers during the 2021 storming of the U.S. Capitol spoke at a Topsham church Saturday in an event organized by local Republican groups.

Matthew Brackley was sentenced in May to 15 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to one count of assaulting, impeding or resisting police during the Jan. 6 riot against the certification of Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 election. He also received two years of probation and was ordered to pay $3,000 in fines and restitution.

A handful of protesters gather at the entrance of the road leading up to Topsham Baptist Church during a speaking event featuring former Maine Senate candidate Matthew Brackley on Saturday. Brackley pleaded guilty to one count of assaulting, resisting or impeding police for his role in the events at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Brianna Soukup/Portland Press Herald

Brackley was released from a Massachusetts federal prison last week shortly after Trump’s sweeping clemency action, in which the president pardoned, commuted or vowed to dismiss the cases of the more than 1,500 people charged with crimes in connection with Jan. 6.

The Cumberland, York, Lincoln and Sagadahoc County Republican committees hosted Brackley at Topsham Baptist Church at an event billed as “A Maine Patriot Story.”

Organizers at the entrance of the church Saturday afternoon told a Press Herald reporter and photographer that journalists were not permitted to enter the event and declined to comment further.

Brackley was arrested in July 2023, more than two years after the Capitol riot. He ran for a Maine Senate seat as a Republican in 2022, losing to Democrat Eloise Vitelli of Arrowsic. Brackley, who owns Brackley Electric in West Bath, is among 15 Mainers who were charged for ties to the riot — all of whom were pardoned or had their cases dismissed by Trump.

According to court records, Brackley admitted that he forced his way past police and remained in the Capitol building for about 40 minutes. At one point, Brackley pushed through two Capitol police officers and asked them where then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s office was.

Raphael Macias, a state representative from Topsham, far left, and his child Peyton Macias, second from left, talk to the handful of protesters gathered at the entrance of the road leading up to Topsham Baptist Church. Macias said Peyton saw a post about the event on Reddit that morning and they decided to come to protest the event. Brianna Soukup/Portland Press Herald

About five people gathered down the hill from the Topsham church to protest Brackley’s speaking event. Some said they tried to enter the church as protesters but were asked to leave.

They were joined by state Rep. Rafael Macias, D-Topsham. Macias said he decided to attend the protest with his daughter after she saw posts about the event on Reddit.

“This (protest) is near and dear to me, because I served 22 years in the military,” Macias said. “I know what dishonor looks like … if I had done any of those things as a military member, particularly as a person of color, it would be a different verdict for me.”

Brackley told News Center Maine that he expected a pardon once Trump entered office. He said he regrets pushing past officers but believes the 2020 election was stolen.

Federal and state election officials and Trump’s own attorney general found no evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 election. Trump’s false claims were rejected by dozens of judges, including those he appointed.