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On January 6, extreme Trump supporters started the year off by initiating a protest and riot in the U.S. Capitol. The rioters were armed with weaponry. This was the largest mob and the one that has gathered the most attention that had occurred in the Capitol building of Washington D.C.
The protestors broke through barricades and trespassed into the inside of Capitol, which resulted in Congress halting a ceremony being held by Vice-President Mike Pence, acknowledging that Joe Biden was the winner for the Presidential elections held in November. The Senate evacuated the Capitol building, and Vice-President Mike Pence was taken to safety, away from the chaos.
Critics claim that the protestors were further aroused by Trump, who said in his speech that day, “If you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore,” encouraging the protesters to go to the Capitol. His supporters raided the capitol building, and smashed windows, and stole from congressional offices. Many protestors bellowed that they would kill high-authority figures such as vice-president Mike Pence and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
An anonymous student at AISG argued that the Capitol’s storming firmly set the stage for Biden’s presidency and said that the incident puts Trump in the limelight and purposely antagonizes him. They added that “the media combined with the storming of the capitol” definitely worked in Biden’s favor.
During the protest, a woman was fatally shot by U.S. Capitol Police, and three other people died in “medical emergencies,” said Washington Police Chief Robert Contee.
In response to many numerous critics stating that the capitol police mishandled the situation, freshman Alex G. questioned how the capitol police were supposed to know that Trump supporters were going to charge into the Capitol. He added, “That’s not the police’s fault but the FBI’s fault. Events build-up and the FBI should have seen this coming. If people on social media were saying that they are going to storm the Capitol, they should have kept this in mind and see that this could be a potential problem.”
Former President George W. Bush commented on the incident saying, “It is a sickening and heartbreaking sight. This is how election results are disputed in a banana republic — not our democratic republic.” He added, “I am appalled by the reckless behavior of some political leaders since the election and by the lack of respect shown today for our institutions, our traditions, and our law enforcement.”
Many clips on social media depicted protestors fighting against police officers, breaking down windows, and battering down doors. Amateur explosive devices made by protestors were on the Capitol grounds, but their functionality was unclear.
Protestors displayed symbols of hate during the protest, including a noose hung to mimic a guillotine, protestors holding white confederate flags, and using white power gestures.
Eventually, when things got too out of hand, President Trump called for the National Guard to get involved, to support the U.S. capitol police. The FBI and U.S. Marshals Service also assisted with the situation.
The police department claimed that most of the arrests following the riots were citizens from outside Washington D.C.
The groups of protestors outside of the U.S. capital were much smaller, and the crowds only had a few dozen to a hundred participants. The same argument was brought up by these protests, claiming that democrats and republicans that did not support Trump were “traitors.”
The phrase “Hang Mike Pence” was trending on Twitter by the same individuals that claimed that non-Trump supporters were “traitors.” Eventually, the social media company took it down. This happened after Donald Trump’s suspension on Twitter and multiple other social media platforms.
The FBI warned the public that more armed protests might occur after Biden’s inauguration, and many aggressive retorts have been circulating on social media. All eyes are on the U.S. now, and only time can tell what the rest of the year will set out to be.
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