People who were shocked by what happened on January 6th, 2021 must have been in a coma for the past five years. Every single thing about Donald Trump’s two campaigns and his presidency foreshadowed this. It was close to inevitable that in the last days of his presidency Donald Trump would try to burn everything down and that he would weaponize his Nazi supporters and incite them to do a coup in his name. The fact that Capitol Police seemed utterly incapable of preparing for hundreds of terrorists to break into the Capitol was the only “shocking” part, but just barely. As we’ve seen in many American cities, cops love putting on their armor and SWAT gear to start sh-t at peaceful Black Lives Matter protests, but they’ll let armed white nationalists swarm state and federal buildings with little more than a glance.
Yesterday, dumbf–k MAGA terrorists raided the Capitol and stopped the Senate’s certification of Joe Biden’s victory. Donald Trump and many Republicans – including Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz – had actively invited and incited white nationalist terrorists to start sh-t. The GOP practically hosted the Nazi rally full of butthurt sore losers in front of the Capitol Building. Little surprise when those same people, successfully agitated by Trump himself, decided to, you know, terrorize.
Shots were fired, two IEDs was found inside the Capitol, four people died, police were swarmed and many officers seemed to give up almost instantly (sus). VP Mike Pence, Speaker Pelosi, Senate Pro Temp Chuck Grassley and VP-Elect Kamala Harris were all taken to (separate?) undisclosed locations. Senators, staffers, journalists and House representatives found themselves diving for cover or locked down in offices or various parts of the building. This happened across most of the afternoon and early evening. DC Mayor Bowser was trying to get the Pentagon to authorize the immediate use of the National Guard, but they gave her the runaround. Mayor Bowser ended up asking Maryland and Virginia’s governors for help, and both Gov. Larry Hogan and Gov. Ralph Northam sent National Guard and state troopers to DC. We’ll discuss Donald Trump’s words and actions in a separate post.
By 7 pm, the Capitol was retaken (words I am shocked to be writing) and the business of the day was conducted into the wee hours of the morning. We’ll have more on what happened throughout the day.
Photos courtesy of Getty.
Horrifying. I’m still numb.
It’s horrifying on so many levels. The fact on how easily the capitol was taken, the fact that there is a double standard on white vs. darker skinned “protesters”, the fact that Trump came on AFTER Biden spoke and that he continued to speak of a stolen election during his statement and that he loved them. That was sickening. What was further horrifying was that some STILL defended him instead of uniting. I was disappointed that these rioters and terrorists over shadowed the beauty of what happened in Georgia on Tuesday. DISGSTING on so many levels. Pick one.
It was not just “taken”. These bastard CP OPENED THE BARRICADES. THEY *LET* THEM IN. It is ON VIDEO. Some also posed for selfies with them. They also LED THEM OUT OF THE BLDG., some carrying items (one podium is on eBay already!), and they *actually* opened the door for these insurrectionist traitors, and LET THEM GO! They did NOT arrest them!
Now, contrast that to what you saw when BLM protesters were in Washington. The police were out in FULL riot gear. People were gassed and shot with rubber bullets just so Seditious Traitor Trump could walk his fat ass to a church he never attended, and hold a bible upsided down in front of it.
Tell me again they were “overwhelmed”.
Capitol Police have 2,300 employees and a $460 million budget. They are not “lightweight” police force and could easily have stopped the insurrectionists.
DHS troops, which lined the streets during BLM protests were visibly absent despite the fact a legitimate threat to national security was in progress. FBI didn’t show up until after the 6 pm curfew. What happened is exactly what Trump and his criminal allies wanted to happen.
@OG, please do think I am stating that the capitol police were overwhelmed. Far from it, they were basically let in. And I can “take” something even if there is lack of security. What was hard to stomach is that Trump was calling for this for weeks and there was no one there to stop them. News sources are now questioning if this was an inside job. I truly am at a loss for words because the pictures and videos do not lie – they easily went in and vandalized and when comparing the pictures to the Storm Troopers for BLM, is says it all.
This is the reason I wont visit America in the foreseeable future.
@Sierra: I’m an American, and while this makes me sad to read, I sure can’t blame you. We are a complete sh!tshow with no end in sight.
That’s smart @Sierra Plus, it’s a shit-show with covid over here. Definitely many, many other much more amazing places you can visit on this planet. If I could get the f out of here right now, I would. Been seeing this coming since 2016. I grew up in a military dictatorship with coups happening regularly, and this shit was going to happen. It was enabled by the Capitol Police. They knew it was coming and prepared the way. It’s an inside job since police and white supremacist terrorists are one and the same. Black people know this. Just today, the Chicago police chief said on NPR that he basically supported the thugs and that they weren’t destructive, they were just upset about some stuff.
Also, while I appreciate the point that many are making now re: the difference in how BLM protestors and the terrorists were treated, it’s problematic to create these false and damaging equivalencies especially in a country where people already see Black people as the threat and BLM is framed as a terrorist org by the right and even so-called moderates. People expressing their *rightful* grief and demanding justice, equal rights, is not even in the same universe as white supremacists demanding that they continue to be given privileges and terrorizing a whole country. Black people are on the side of justice and all that’s right; the klan rioters attempting a coup are on the side of all that is evil.
And all this nonsense about impeachment *now*?!? Please. Just wasting time, media making money off the clicks. What good will it do? And Pence as President? Imagine the harm that he could do in two weeks. The representatives and senators who supported this need to be fired. But honestly, I have little hope for this country.
@Anna Slight correction, but it was the president of the Police Union who made those comments. That said, his comments are lock and step with what law enforcement here thinks anyway, so I guess it doesn’t ultimately matter to clarify who said it.
John Catanzara, head of local FOP. He needs to resign. So does David DiSanti on the union board of trustees, who defended him and didn’t even back down after Catanzara sent out a lukewarm apology. FYI the national head of FOP disavowed Catanzara’s statement.
Minx, this exactly. I’m numb and not able to discuss it coherently yet, but one thing I kept thinking yesterday was that history would parse this for years to come. Jan 6, 2021 is not fading away.
Embarrassed to admit I hyperventilated. It thought I entertained this might happen; but when it actually happened I had a Victorian era fainting spell. So disappointed in myself.
What was most disturbing is the grossness of the thugs – the cast of deliverance – in those elegant halls. Zombie movies are now less horrifying by comparison.
AND IF the US actually has intelligence – why did they leave poor defenseless mall cops on guard?
Can you imagine what would have happened if black people had stormed Capitol Hill? Black people actually have more genuine grievances than this rag tag bunch of uneducated ‘deplorables’.
“As we’ve seen in many American cities, cops love putting on their armor and SWAT gear to start sh-t at peaceful Black Lives Matter protests, but they’ll let armed white nationalists swarm state and federal buildings with little more than a glance.”
Absolutely this. There’s talk of removing President Trump immediately. I don’t know, that would probably make things worse.
White priviledge plain and simple.
People of color were there as well. Sad.
Okay Sara.
LOL @ Tiffany. They’re so obvious.
Your’e much nicer than I am @Tiffany.
@ Sara – GTFO
My bf lives 30m outside a ski town. An apt full of druggies went Scarface violent , not deaths, but people escaping and one man with a gun- and – I’m not joking- an armored military truck pulled up w a dozen militarized guards. How can all our legislators have the Mayberry cops after threats that a five year old could decipher???
Exactly.
When I woke up I was shocked to see no news that Trump has been removed. So, they’re just going to let him show up at the office today? The only reason anyone is hesitating, I’d guess, is that they are afraid of another mob of MAGA terrorists. Trump has always been a menace with blood and Covid on his hands. I see more people recognize that now but still I can’t see any other path forward for us unless he is removed or resigns.
It won’t matter if he is removed or resigns. This insane Hitleresque character is going to sabotage America as long as he is still alive and his cult will keep it going after he dies. We are in for a ride. I never thought 2021 would be better than 2020.
It’s unbelievable that they haven’t removed him. They are letting this stand and they think by saying ” we returned and nothing stopped us from certifying this election” cuts it.
Oh my god how wrong they are. And we will all pay the price. For years. I see myself as an expatriate before the end of Biden’s term. If indeed Biden survives a whole term.
Soupie, I agree that it won’t change anything that actually happens but at the very least symbolically he needs to be prevented from finishing out his term. In this case I do think symbolism matters.
And yeah, Darla, as the daughter of someone with dual citizenship of the US and his European country of birth, I am eligible for citizenship there. It’s a lovely country and I fantasize more and more about finding a way to bring my whole family there. Not that any country is immune from ugly right wing nationalism.
Esmom
It would be nice to be an expat in many ways although I do think right wing nationalism is spreading all over the globe and I think it’s going to get worse in the coming years.
As for the 25th Amendment, it does appear that Pence was acting as Defacto President at least for the time being (who knows how long). They probably won’t let us know about that but it’s pretty easy to see what went on – that Pence approved the National Guard because we all know that Trump never would.
@Soupie unfortunately I agree. Even though this sh!tbag lost the election, people are STILL scared of him and his feelings and his mean tweets and what it could mean for their own primaries years from now, so apparently we are going to just continue to let this man run the show and terrorize the entire country indefinitely?
Our government is full of cowards who are abdicating their duty to protect their citizens and show no signs of changing their ways even though this POS is a lame duck.
2021 will be different but definitely not necessarily better.
Pelosi told Pence that if he didn’t invoke the 25th they would impeach him again. now. Apparently Pence told Trump to go out and just say “this election is over,” basically, period, or else he would have to do it. Not a Pence fan obviously, he’s a toadie, but he’s basically….sane?
How the mighty has fallen we outsiders watching the happenings in the US have seen this coming I’d like to know why it took twitter so long to suspend his account? His account ought to have been taken down along time ago and now the damage has been down and it’s a little too late!
Also is there no way Trump can be brought to book for all of his atrocities after he leaves office? Cos the damage he has done to over 200 years of peaceful democracy is appalling.
His Twitter account should have been banned when he was running around demanding Obama’s birth certificate. THAT’S how he built his base and his political “career”.
Not to mention how the media kept platforming him, despite the OBVIOUS racism.
This was always an inevitably and should not be a shock to ANYONE.
It has never happened in the entirety of US history that a former president has been charged with any crimes committed during office. The last one that could have happened to was Richard Nixon, but he was pardoned by his VP, Gerald Ford. Although, after yesterday’s insurrection and incitement of sedition (which IS treasonous), who knows.
Exactly. Social media companies have a big responsibility in what happened yesterday. His account should have deleted a long time ago. I sincerely hope Trump and every GOP senator who had a part in this will be sued.
Social media companies should de-platform anyone who participated in and is posting content from yesterday’s insurrection. We can’t let insurrection continue because it makes for good social media content.
@Lotoya and @Bex Absolutely right. Honestly, Facebook and Twitter both need to be held accountable in a major way for what happened. They fully enabled him from well before the presidency, and their channels continue to enable his supporters to wreak havoc and foment extreme violence, but neither of them will admit it. I hold MZ largely responsible for the situation we’re in now. Facebook is the devil. I wish I wasn’t so connected to my friends on IG or I’d delete that…I keep deleting the app but I put so much attention into my posts and writing and all, that I hate to let it go…
Someone on Twitter pointed out that Facebook and Twitter finally started doing something about Trump when they realized Democrats are going to chair all the Congressional committees that oversee them. I’m sure that was a huge coincidence, though. 🙄
Aah, that makes sense. Wow, the voters of Georgia really will change the world.
Liz Warren is coming for them and it will be glorious.
The same Liz Warren who was being snide as hell when then running for POTUS/now VP Elect Kamala Harris stated that his account needed to be banned.
That Liz Warren.
No, the Liz Warren that wants to trust-bust Facebook.
She really want to break up all the monopolies, Facebook would just be an extra cherry on top.
@Insomniac Wow, so true. Get ’em. Get ’em all.
@Latoya absolutely agree. They should have shut his Twitter down when he started spewing the lies and racism years ago. Social media is accountable for giving him platforms to stir this shit up.
And Trump can be got on a state prosecution. Leticia James in NYC AG is investigating him. No presidential pardons on state crimes.
Well Kamala tried to get the ball rolling on banning him from Twitter but she was mocked and derided, and in fact one of the Pod Save America boys actually tweeted a horrible tweet against her for what she said…and btw white liberal women’s hero Liz Warren LITERALLY laughed in her face on the debate stage over it.
I’m a liberal white woman, and Liz Warren, who faked being Native American for THREE DECADES, thereby replacing any minorities who deserved the esteemed educational places she garnered for herself instead, is absolutely NOT MY HERO. Far from it: I loathe her dishonesty and hypocrisy, and her deceptiveness, which the left tries to gloss over. Furthermore, I know no white female liberals who like or respect her. No group is a monolith, and whites do not deserve to be put in a single, small box any more than blacks do. Calling Liz Warren “white liberal women’s hero” is both ignorant and offensive, and it’s plain inaccurate as well.
Indeed, many outside of the US could see this coming a mile off, probably because of our experience with dictators like him. I think a number of people flirted with the idea of him and anarchy because of its novelty. They probably thought it wouldn’t go that far and it almost went too far (the police sure seemed very complacent at first). Social media companies have a lot to answer for. The atrocities they’ve enabled globally through their inaction, but honestly we also need to circle back to the Murdoch empire. Conspiracy theorists will always exist in society but when they are given such a platform to spew their crazy, it becomes dangerous for everyone.
It’s hard to find words. I’m not American and don’t live there but seeing the Confederate flag inside the Capitol sent chills down my spine last night and made me very very frightened. ‘Evil’, my husband said. So I cannot even imagine what Americans and especially American citizens and residents of colour must be feeling right now. All I can say is that I’m thinking of you, you have my support and I will stand up for each and every one of you.
I live on a street with very few houses on it. 2 of the houses at least have Confederate flags flying. As a lifelong Californian it really blows my mind. One does not see Confederate flags flying in California. However, I drove by my childhood home last year in greater L.A. What did I see flying outside of my childhood home?? A freakin Betsy Ross flag. I do think Confederate flags are coming to California. I’ll bet on it.
To put it in the local vernacular, you can’t swing a dead cat round here without hitting camo or confederate flags.
As a black woman I’ll say none of this surprised me. It’s been a long time coming.
Unless the perpetrators are apprehended, Trump removed etc this is just the beginning sadly.
Truth @Nina Simone
Seeing that flag (and the noses and crosses) in our Capital was enraging. Seeing our elected leaders huddled on the floor while MAGA terrorist tried to breech the chamber… no words. One guy was carrying zip ties?!?!? We’re they going to kidnap Congress? Everyone in the country knew Trump was sucking his minions on Congress on the 6th the fact that the seat of power was unguarded and so vulnerable is disgusting. I think I am numb waiting for the next shoe to drop.
@Liz that’s almost the worst part imo; it does not feel like this is anywhere near over. I’m also frightened of what will happen next and I don’t have much faith in our elected leaders at this point.
We have that flag all over North Carolina, get behind a pickup and it is there in the bumper or back window. So not so strange to see it in the Capitol. They truly what to go back to a time of white dominance and everyone one else was subservent and scared. They did indicate they would be back. Probably for Inauguration.
Yes I gre up in NC. I have relatives who have that flag in bikini form. You are not wrong.
Stayed up all night, watching the news, even from the other side of the pond, I’m still shocked….
We certainly saw it coming, still we couldn’t believe it would happen…didn’t want it to be possible…
Lost for words and deeply worried, saddened, and so mich more 🙁
The republicans thanking the cops for their service made me ragey. Let’s get the investigation going because we all smell a rat.
Yeah, there was so much performative pontificating in between certifying the votes. It was appalling and surreal.
A friend text me about this as it was happening last night (here in the UK) and I made the point that someone on twitter then put much more effectively:
Why y’all keep asking where the police at? Y’all ask where Miley’s at when Hannah’s on stage?
I saw that tweet and I shuddered because its so accurate.
Right?
What service? The Capitol police ushered those terrorists in and were taking selfies with them!
Defund them now!
Really?
The heads of the Capital Police were in on it, there’s zero doubt in my mind. And Biden needs to make a clean sweep (as WAPO already reported he is doing with the secret service) because Biden and Harris are not safe with Trump loyalists (and I use that term the way I would write Hitler loyalists) on the force. No Democrat is. Frankly, Mike Pence isn’t safe, but I don’t care about him.
I am heartbroken about what happened and I am shocked, but only because I guess I convinced myself that I was overreacting with my fears that some kind of armed insurrection might actually happen. I should have gone with my instincts. This really might be the beginning of the end of our democracy.
And the difference between how peaceful BLM protests were met was truly remarkable. I don’t see how anyone with eyes in their head can deny that POC are treated differently by law enforcement, but I am sure some people will try to excuse it. I already read an analysis on CNN that said the Capitol Police were slow to bring in other law enforcement agencies to help and that they deliberately had less of a presence for protests BECAUSE of the reaction to the over-policing of the BLM protests. I found myself wondering while it was happening if the CP were in on it all along.
I just can’t with the Republicans. They spent 4 years catering to the Orange A-Hole’s base. They don’t get to talk about healing the rifts because they themselves were in danger for a few hours. And despite that, over a majority of Republicans voted to object to the electoral votes in key states, including one of my own illustrious Senators, Rick Scott (note the sarcasm if it is not obvious). They’re trying to close the barn door but the horse bolted and is like 4 counties away by now.
The CP were at the very least sympathetic to the terrorists’ views. Plenty of Trump supporters have been found to be carrying weapons during their protests. The BLM protesters were unarmed. CP knew they needed more people and such because they know that these idiots are more likely to be carrying weapons. So, the excuse that it was due to the over policing of the BLM protests doesn’t hold water. CNN really needs to stop talking nonsense. The police didn’t try all that hard to stop them because the police agree with them. It’s just that simple.
Deeply upsetting, sad and disgraceful scenes. I can’t understand what security were doing
I believe some of the security were 45 followers. I believe it was a “stand back and stand by” situation. One cop was seen taking a selfie with one of the red hat mob, something is wrong. We have to have a thorough investigation now.
White privilege at its finest. If those terrorists would have non-White they would have been shot dead on the spot.
No question.
100% agree.
Oh it would have been a slaughterhouse.
That’s what I kept thinking last night. Where are your rubber bullets being shot straight at people? If the terrorists had been a bit browner, the CP would have brought out the machine guns.
Absolutely. They were being so gentle with people scalding the damn walls!?!?!
Where was all of the teargas that was so plentiful over the summer?! Unbelievable. So brazen.
Absolutely
It was horrifying and so scary to watch from the other side of the world and I hope you’re all ok over there.
The contrast between the law enforcement reaction last summer and last night couldn’t be starker.
Did these pea brained idiots actually believe they were going to successfully accomplish a coup? They cant be serious..smh
The video of the woman in absolute shock because she got pepper sprayed while storming the building perfectly encapsulates how stupid these people are.
They didn’t have a plan after entering the building. They just showboated and took photos. I hope they all rot.
Elizabeth who thought she was participating in a “revolution” but cried and whined when they “pushed” her and she caught a whiff of pepper spray. That’s why these people don’t actually serve in the military – no strength, no perserverance, no courage, no brains, no ability to represent or work towards something. She’s quite the symbol for the thugs of the incumbent who couldn’t manage to hold his office.
Elizabeth who got really annoyed when the took actions to stop her from storming Congress. 🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️
She has been identified on the @homegrownterrorists Insta, where it has also been pointed out that she has an ONION in her hand and is using it to make her eyes water while fake-crying during her interview.
They didn’t, which is why it was so stupid (still terrifying, but stupid.) they didn’t have a plan once they got into the building. they just wanted to wreak havoc and delay the vote, like they thought then they could stop the certification and Trump would remain president. But there wasn’t a clear plan. It was a coup attempt, but it was a really poorly planned one. I mean they got inside, and they damaged the building, but they had no specific plan beyond that.
It’s scary to me because its kind of like Trump – he has been destroying the country for the past 4 years but with no real plan besides “I’m in charge.” And as has been said for the past few months at least – the next autocrat/wanna be dictator wont be as an inept. I feel the same way here – the next coup attempt wont be as unorganized.
Exactly. And I believe the next one is being planned right here in front of us, masquerading amidst all of the media bs. Whatever’s happening and getting lots of attention is just a smokescreen for what’s really going on.
I watched the video of the woman getting shot, and someone behind her yelled “That’s just a flashbang!” while she was on the floor bleeding out. They were THAT certain nothing bad was going to happen to them, and seeing as the cops basically waved them in and posed for pictures, I can see why they’d think that.
This was an inside job, Trump and his minions KNEW this was going to happen – it was straight up a coup attempt. The fact that the Pentagon delayed sending in the National Guard tells you everything – this was aimed at trying to force congress into not certifying Biden. Did they really think they could have held legislators hostage to get what they want? I think thats certainly what they were attempting – the ignorant sheeple were being led by professionals who KNEW what they were doing and I think thats one of the reasons the Capitol police were overwhelmed. Hired mercs were behind it. How much money was Prince paid for his goons?
I hope every single person is charged and arrested.
Invoke the 25th NOW!!
I saw on Twitter – I think from Haberman but I’m not positive – that Pence is the one who finally authorized the national guard – so it seems we may be under a de facto 25th amendment anyway.
I read that, I was also reading that only the Pres can authorise the NG in DC so if Pence did it he’s now Pres or he committed sedition. Either way he’s clearly burned his bridges with Dump, as has Moscow Mitch -which everyone predicted anyway.
Yeah, it says a lot to me that that’s how it happened – because the NG didn’t have to listen to Pence, right? so it seems people are just ignoring Trump, which is definitely good but also somewhat problematic for our democracy in terms of precedent.
My governor is one that also sent NG (Hogan) and he’s a Republican and I was so glad he offered our National Guard yesterday. He is one who is definitely running in 2024 so it will be interesting to see how this affects his chances then.
I saw that yesterday and I thought they may have already invoked it and that’s why his social media accounts were finally suspended. They were staying quiet to get him out of the WH and not incite the mob. Today it seems like he’s still president unless it did happen but only temporarily.
I believe so too, and some had zip ties in photos. That indicates hostages to me. This cannot stand, because it will reverberate through history, and within ten years, and I believe within five, we will see an authoritarian coup and we will no longer be a Democracy.
Yes. Get out now if you can.
This IS us.
These are our relatives, neighbors, colleagues.
Our current President spent four years pushing for this. He was involved in the planning. So were at least three of his adult children.
As images circulated of a woman lying in her own blood on the floor outside the Senate chamber, congressional representatives hid under chairs in the House gallery with armed officers blockading the doors with furniture, guns drawn, and news anchors speculated on the whereabouts of the Vice President, Ivanka Trump tweeted praise for the “Patriots” taking part in the violence. She deleted the tweet quickly but her filth got out there to her followers and she then tweeted argumentative responses to those who challenged her for it.
Trump’s accomplices are now trying to claim ANTIFA did this.
Four people died.
Richard Barnett of Arkansas might want to consider moving to a country without extradition; Speaker Pelosi is coming for that mail he stole.
The Senators who supported this need to resign today.
Lindsey Graham was drunk during his speech, slurring his words and burping as he tried to erase his four years of treason
Well said. When the Rs came back to the floor after and started talking about this was not who we are, and how they disagree with their colleagues but without violence, etc – I was like, THIS IS WHAT YOU HAVE SOWN. This is the result of 4 years (more than that, but at least 4 years) of sowing distrust in government, in leaders, in the process, of attacking the other side, of saying “there are good people on both sides.” The time to disavow these kinds of actions was years ago, not today/yesterday.
This IS who we are.
I hope Pelosi is now preparing impeachment articles for many of her Rep colleagues who supported this as well as Dump and his administration.
They had bombs and were armed, the intention was clear – to harm people in that building.
Impeachment only pertains to the offices of President and Vice President and federal judges. Other disciplinary measures such as censure and expulsion pertain to House members
I could tell you what I believe MUST happen to every Trump, and to Cruz, Hawley and the rest, but it would never get through and I wouldn’t post it anyway for fear of reprisals, but we all know. I mean, I think we all know.
Hah, When he started spewing, I told my husband, “Lindsay must be drunk!”, what a party, huh Lindsay? Wow, such excitement, such fun!!!
You think so? I thought he seemed really loose but now that you mention it it makes sense. It was actually a good speech, too little too late, but this is more like the guy he used to be, when he was friends with McCain and was, according to Al Franken, the funniest Republican in the Senate by far. Where did he get his hands on booze in their undisclosed location? None of the others seemed to have imbibed, to me. So bizarre.
We were watching this in real time yesterday, it was one of the few times we turned on the news during the day to watch the Senate speeches, and saw it all unfold, It was insane.
I kept saying to my husband – where is the riot gear??? Where is the tear gas? Why are these people being ALLOWED to do this?!?!!? I mean, look, I don’t want the police or National Guard or FBI etc to attack American citizens willy-nilly. But this was a clear example of when it was NECESSARY.
One twitter video showed some of the DC cops TAKING DOWN the barricades.
someone on MSNBC did say that the reason we weren’t seeing arrests was that the DC police did not have enough officers there to start doing that. Well why on earth not?
I said to my husband at one point – they should just pretend these people are BLM protestors and treat them accordingly.
I was relieved when they “took back” the capitol but honestly besides how scary it was – it was frustrating. they weren’t going to accomplish anything. Like they literally caused all this damage and fear and they weren’t going to change a damn thing.
I absolutely do not believe that they didn’t have the man power to stop that madness. Just look at some of those cops in those videos – they were loving it!! They were in agreement with those knuckle-dragging terrorists. They were enabling them! I am so outraged I can’t even speak.
The DC mayor had to go to neighboring states for National Guard assistance instead of the Pentagon. Just what the f*** is going on there??
I think if they didn’t have the manpower it was intentional.
Last night, after the Maryland, Virginia and DC National Guard showed up and were allowed to do their job, they FINALLY started cracking skills and knocking people back.
https://twitter.com/notcapnamerica/status/1347022983358001155?s=21
A complete 180 from the afternoon where they let people run riot.
Fortunately, like someone else said, 99% it were complete idiots with no real plan except to cause chaos. They just wandered around taking selfie’s, stealing and trashing things.
I heard on TV this morning that there are 2,200 on the CP force, and that an estimated 500 were on duty yesterday. They guard the entire Congressional complex – not just the Capitol.
The world knew the 6th was going to be “wild” (in the tweeted words of Orange), yet reportedly CP had less than 1 in 4 of their force on the job that day?
I also was stunned to see the MAGA terrorists just wandering around the Capitol freely. FOR HOURS. Not even a pretense of a standoff. There is no other explanation except that the capitol police were okay with it.
And after curfew, too. So all of the residents of DC were inconvenienced, children’s school cancelled today–which includes lunch in poorer areas–and last night many people afraid to go home from work, groceries, anything esp Black folks who are targeted by police on a normal day let alone something like this. And all because of these a******* and their enabling police klan members.
Yesterday I started seeing some image on internet and I was like WTF.
Then I saw the news, and I called friends who were like “ARE YOU KIDDING ME”?
Motsly because the police was doing nothing. America you have bigger problems than Trump.
Yes, law enrichment across the entire the US is a hotbed of white supremacists that took someone like Trump to reveal and embolden themselves.
I have never, in my 33 years. seen something like this. I’m used to riots and protests, but they never go INSIDE, they never hold guns at elective representatives. And the police and civil guard NEVER STANDS BY DOING NOTHING.
WHAT THE ACTUAL F.
This is how a coup starts so I hope these terrorists start running because they should be in prison for a very long time.
This is Trump’s legacy: he gave birth to a third world country republic. They will always shield themselves behind a certain rhetoric, something about fraud, something about who is really a patriot and an America, and who isn’t. The divide in the US will become even bigger after he leaves Office. Everyone who voted for him in 2016 is responsible for this – they’ve turned their country into a populist shithole, one very difficult to climb out of, trust me.
Yeah I agree – they will attempt this again and next time there will be more of them with more guns and bombs. Dump is determined to install himself as a dictator and he will never ever stop shrieking about how he won. He will undermine any and all Presidents that come after Joe, regardless of which party they are from.
On a global scale, this will just encourage the white supremacists in the UK and Europe.
Dump has no interest in a legacy – all he wants is to stay in power AT. ALL. COSTS.
It saddens me because this happened to us decades ago and we’re still stuck in this cycle. Populists like Trump only want impunity, to remain above the law while they do whatever they want, lining their pockets.
The worst part? They get their children into politics, and their grandchildren, so you’re basically stuck in some sort of Cuban Monarchy Nightmare.
Trump will push for his Daughter Wife and Ivanka will definitely run in the near future, and his followers (because that’s what they are) will vote for her, blindly.
I hope Biden gets re-elected, it’s the only way out for you guys.
I keep thinking about all the people I know who didn’t vote in 2016 because they “didn’t care” or “didn’t like either of them”.
I can’t type out what I’d like to say them and I definitely can’t forgive them.
They’re complicit, definitely. It’s like they’ve never had a single struggle in their life, so they didn’t care enough to drive to a poling station and cast a ballot.
something so simple as voting holds so much power in any true democracy.
Susan Sarandon. That’s who I think about sometimes.
It really makes me wonder how in on it the Department if Defence and police were.
💯- this is Trump’s populist shit hole dream
The way the police acted is reprehensible and they should be investigated. Their inaction resulted in 4 fatalities.
But the Pentagon should be held in check – they refused to send the CG? There were armed terrorists inside the Capitol!
What I don’t understand is the way all his terrosists were treated diligently by the police . Only 52 MAGA terrorists was arrested versus 300 during the legal and peaceful BLM protests. Police officers who take selfies and offer bottles of water ( in California) to these terrorists to let them quietly get back into their buses to go back home. Then why these secessionist Republican treat to the nation Ted Cruz, Lindsey Graham, Josh Hawley, Kelly Loeffler, Mike Braun of Indiana, Steve Daines of Montana, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee or James Lankford of Oklahoma were authorize to participate in the votes after that . Theirs responsibilities in this attempted coup are as big as Trump.They must be prosecuted, go to jail and be banned from any public office forever.Like Trump, his family and everyone involved in this administration. To do nothing is to tell them that all their illegal acts are normal.
Yesterday an African Italian activist wrote this “It’s nice to see white priviledge in action: because if you are white you can shoot to people, assault federal buildings and no one will tell you nothing”.
It’s tragic and it’s true.
That’s what gets me is the lack of arrests! I mean, I know the answer, but why were there no arrests made of all these rioters/terrorists as they left the building? Now the FBI is looking for footage? Let the criminals escape and then try to find them after the fact. It’s like they are deliberately being slow and obtuse about it!
I’m not at all surprised at what happened. People need to take off the blinders. What y’all witnessed was peak white privilege. The police (for the most part) are just like those domestic terrorists. The heavy guns are never brought out against white people who think just like the police. There is video and pictures of the domestic terrorists being chummy with several Capitol Hill police.
I was born and raised in Washington, D.C. and all my life have witnessed protests, demonstrations, the 1968 riots. So I know what kind of protection and security is used when demonstrations like that happen. This was deeply upsetting on a personal level because my youngest brother is a Capitol Hill police officer and was there yesterday during the mayhem. He says there was a breakdown and failure in the chain of command. Incompetent management and rank and file officers not doing their jobs. They’re all having to work 16 hour shifts until further notice. He just reported back to work after 4 hours off. Just thankful he wasn’t hurt yesterday during all this white foolishness.
This is how ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ starts. “When they slaughtered Congress, we didn’t wake up” 🥺
oh my god. I forgot about that part…
Was exactly what I was thinking as it unfolded. I’m not usually for police force and violence, but those fools hijacked our entire Legislative Branch, Pence and Harris were in the building…
I mean come on, I live in Portland, and we had rubber bullets and flash bangs and tear gas and unmarked vans taking people away for breaking some windows on a EMPTY COURTHOUSE.
Every single one of them should be locked up for sedition and thrown away the key. Even when I don’t agree with the people in office I respect the institution.
And I’m so f’n pissed that Warnock and Ossoff didn’t get their history making moments too… I could go on and on but I won’t.
All I can say is if that mob looked “different” there would have been a ton of bloodshed.
at the end of the day, as i heard it so accurately said on the news, innocent black men want to be treated the same as guilty white men.
there is a great imbalance in our country fueled by the man who is supposed to promote peace and unity. he isn’t a leader, he is a coward and a liar. he throws gasoline on a fire already out of control and then waits for everyone to point the finger elsewhere.
it breaks my heart that they are stating that they don’t care about their neighbor, that basic rights are only for the few and that racism and hate are acceptable and applauded.
america is better than this, and we have to heal together and move forward.
I have a (non American) family member legally residing in the US. In the course of speaking to her last night I genuinely raised whether she had a plan to make it to our country’s embassy / get out of the country if the violence went nationwide. That’s….not something I ever thought might even be on my radar in a first world democratic country like the US.
Yesterday was sickening. Just when we were about to celebrate flipping Georgia blue down here and being proud of something for once, this happens and makes me sickened to be an American again. It’s also so predictable to go on Facebook and Twitter and see MAGA idiots, some of them from my hometown, saying “it was ANTIFA” just because of one picture of some jackass in a Viking hat. They blame Antifa for everything before it even happens and don’t even understand what Antifa is. They are completely brainwashed, Trump has created a cult. This is a cult. I’m worried it’s not possible to reprogram them. They’ve been trained to deflect all arguments with all caps, poorly spelled word salads in order to keep living in their alternate reality.
Four dead now. Really, really awful. I thought hundreds were protesting but other sources said dozens, which strongly indicates inside job. The protest was essentially sanctioned.
This was a security failure. MAGAts have been plotting something like this since November on Parler. Intelligence must have known they would do this. If BLM activists were actively plotting something like this, they would have been shot down before they could even see the steps of the capitol.
Yet these people were allowed to get into offices (including Pelosi’s) and take selfies like it was some damn museum tour.
It was bad, but to be honest I’m surprised, and relieved, that we haven’t seen much worse, given how many heavily armed gun nuts there are in the US.
These goons were going around throwing down US flags and replacing them with Trump flags. They have no respect for the country or its institutions and yet they’re “patriots” and “very special”. I feel like I’m living in a topsy turvy world.
Thank you for calling it an attempted coup: that’s exactly what it was.
Zero people should be shocked that this happened or that the police basically just opened the barricades and let them in. Not only has he been broadcasting this for months, so have they.
But saying it was a coup attempt and that not enough people we’re taking it seriously was being alarmist, right?
I’m not sure which is worst or more damaging to this country’s security – its arrogance or its blind faith that somehow it will all just work out because it’s supposed to.
Serious question – what is to stop this from happening again before/during/after the inauguration?
They’ll be ready and prepared for any and all potential threats
They were supposed to be ready yesterday too. 🙁
1. We need police reform and that includes weeding out the white supremacists that probably make up 50% of our current forces.
2. Right wing propaganda media needs to be regulated.
3. Members of Congress who encouraged yesterday’s events need to be expelled.
4. Trump needs to be removed immediately.
5. Democrats need to enact serious gun reform legislation.
I’m devastated that this is our America.
Then you chose to have a selective memory of how this country came to be.
White privilege at its finest once again on display.
Yup, this didn’t shock me in the slightest. This is what Trump has been encouraging all along. This is how other countries have seen us since electing him. This is the America people of color have dealt with since the founding of the nation. NO ONE should be surprised by this. This is America. A place where if you’re white, you can storm the capitol with the sitting VP inside and not get shot or even arrested. Instead you get to casually walk around like you’re on a field trip.
I can’t believe there were people, possibly foreign intelligence officers, roaming around congress members’ offices and computers. The breach of national security is massive and shocking. I’m praying that they remove Trump today, as he can amnesty all of those terrorists. There was a major failure on the part of the law enforcement, with all due respect to the few that did their jobs the best they could. When I saw those officers moving the barricade in the one video, it made me want to vomit. The sight of the confederate flag being paraded around the Capitol made me angry. The thought that these terrorists are sitting somewhere this morning, laughing and being proud of their crimes is….unbelievable.
I know a congressman, Tom Suozzi (D-NY) who posted during the siege. I can only imagine what his wife and children were going through. I am hoping to speak with Helene later.
I am horrified. I am European and I feel for Americans now. In Europe the trumpian politicians are up and coming. In my country they are doing exactly the same, setting up fire and dividing the nation and I can see similar situations happening. I really hope all nations will wake up and show the door to populists because we are all in danger.
My rep, Jason Crow, is a personal friend and immigration activist here in Aurora. He’s also a former Army ranger, and he was the last to leave the Capitol yesterday because he made sure everyone else got out first.
We were terrified for him yesterday, and we’re proud of him today, but we’re also so furious that the double standards are now crystal-clear and nothing’s going to happen. My own family — who *know* how many Black people have been killed by cops & how many times I got gassed and beaten by cops this summer for trying to do something about it — keep saying it must be some grand conspiracy in which Trump paid off the cops.
Nope, they’re just cops. Some of those who work forces… etc. And there’s nothing secret about this conspiracy; they’ve been open about their hatred all along. White privilege > Black lives. The irony is how much better we’d ALL be doing if white privilege was no longer a thing.
Yes to all of this and also the fact that white people are not the least bit afraid of the cops in this country. It’s all so fucked up.
@Brittney B, that anthem sums it up perfectly, doesn’t it? I’m listening to RATM at top volume today. I’m glad your friend made it out safely. Please pass along my thanks for his service and valor.
Sadly, the most disturbing thing about this isn’t the riot. It’s that so many are justifying it and/or spreading disinformation.
I’ve heard so many ridiculous excuses from Trumpsters. And that more frightening than the Capitol siege itself.
There seems to be some confusion in these posts about the police who allowed the white domestic terrorists to take over the Capitol. It was the Capitol Hill Police force (responsible for protecting the Capitol and Congressional office buildings and grounds) that failed and allowed this to happen. The Metropolitan (D.C.) police responsible for the non federal parts of the city were not called in until later along with the National Guard to restore order.
Yes, it was Capitol Police who let this happen and there needs to be consequences.
Okay thanks for that clarification. The news were using the names interchangeably. That explains the video Snuffles posted above, with the Metropolitan Police pushing back against the protestors.
And the black Capitol Hill police officer who shot the white female domestic terrorist will face consequences for doing his job in protecting the Capitol building.
That wasn’t an officer, from the look of it. It was a Secret Service agent – which means he was doing exactly the job he was supposed to do protecting that chamber. And it really highlighted the poor response of the police by comparison. With that single, calculated, well-aimed shot he did more to stem the flow of that attack than any of those ill-equipped officers did.
Correcting this after checking with a few articles – it was a capitol police lieutenant. Either way, he did what he needed to do to protector legislators, many of whom we should remember continued to double down on their lies.
“Sund did not offer additional details on the shooting death of 35-year-old Ashli Babbitt, an Air Force veteran originally from Maryland, but was living in San Diego. Babbitt was killed in the Capitol building after a plain-clothed Capitol police officer fired one shot at her during an attempt by rioters to entre the House Chambers. Sund said that the officer involved in the shooting has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of a Metropolitan Police Department investigation.” WUSA9.com
Which is exactly what should happen after any police shooting, but isn’t it repugnant that it’s only done here because a white terrorist died? How anybody could watch that video and not think he fired with well justified force after multiple warnings is infuriating.
What threw me most is that while I knew, objectively, something like this was coming and while I knew, objectively, the police were not a force to be trusted, I still wasn’t emotionally prepared to see it actually happen. I’m feeling grim today and what this means for the next decade in America. Lot of dark days ahead, I fear. They’ll feel emboldened now. I won’t be surprised if 2024 sees another fascist candidate; I only hope some people realize what’s to come and start preparing for it.
This is what we said in 2016 but 54% of white women and many, many more white men voted for this. And then *again* in 2020 elections. The numbers in support barely budged and in many cases, went up in support for 45. So yes, of course there will another fascist candidate and it will be worse because it won’t be an idiot but someone who is watching and has been manipulating even now, they are present and planning.
2024 is the year that Lauren Oya Olamina’s Earthseed: Book of the Living begins in Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower. California is burning, people are ravaged by a virus that turns them into raging zombies, and there is a fascist government enslaving people who are hyper-empathic, using the maga slogan (which I’m not going to write out but we know it). Octavia knew. I’m praying for Biden-Harris but I’m very, very afraid. Every day and every moment that I work, even vacuuming my home, it’s all toward operation freedom to get the f out of here and to an actual first world country that is largely Black. I say “first world” because this “third world” b.s. really gets on my nerves and is so f-ing racist and colonialist and imperialist. African empires, for instance, in the Middle Ages were engaged in incredible levels of trade, wealth, etc. while Euros were pouring their chamber pots into the street (which is why dudes walked on the outside of a woman and not due to chivalry) and never washing. Just backwards. This first/third world bs is just another carefully constructed cultural assault by white supremacist imperialists. Economics and jealousy so they had to create this illusion of superiority/inferiority.
I was terrified yesterday, but not surprised. And also really, really angry at all my acquaintances I know that voted for Trump who kept acting like I was overreacting and that things would be business as usual when Trump got elected. This is what we people who didn’t vote for him feared these last 4 years. I unleashed on my Instagram yesterday and stated word for word “if you voted for Trump, I will not listen to your “bUt I cOuLdN’T hAvE kNoWn!!!” excuses (sidenote: I really did type “but I couldn’t have known!!!” that way with the upper and lowercase!). I am done being silent on social media about this. As the great Maya Angelou once said, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.” You all should have known. Simply put.”
Most people who follow me are not Trump supporters but there’s a few I’m unsure of or know they did and I hope it rightly pissed them off and made them feel horrible. I am done protecting people’s feelings. You voted for him. And these are the consequences.
My mom is convinced this was planned before the rally, even before Trump incited his followers to storm the Capitol. I wasn’t sure but after watching video of the Capitol police letting the rioters stroll right in, I think she’s right. She also thinks there were domestic terrorist cells present in the crowd which is probably also true.
As for the four people who died, do we know who they were? The woman who died in the Capitol, her ID was confirmed last night by her husband and MIL. I don’t mourn her death as she was a Trumper and part of the mob.
We don’t have names for the other three. Two died of heart attacks while running up the stairs. One was climbing the scaffolding built for the inauguration and fell 50 feet to death.
apparently, kevin greeson, Roseanne Boyland, Benjamin Phillips. One of them appears to have tasered him or herself to death, and other one crushed by the multitude.
it’s a matter of semantics, but this wasn’t a coup. A coup is orchestrated by the military to overthrow a current government. This was an insurrection, a violent attack against authority, and it was done in this case to maintain the current government and prevent a transition of power. It was also sedition, conduct inciting people to rebel against authority. But it was not a coup attempt.
This was an insurrection. The coup was going on inside the chamber itself as senators challenged and attempted to strip states of their voting rights to flip an election.
You can’t tell this wasn’t an organized event…so is homeland security not monitoring potential domestic terrorism cause that’s what it was???
All the treasonist c@nts need to be fired and then arrested. Everyone. From the president to each and every republican siding with him, every protestor breaching hallowed halls and every security and police official who failed to do their jobs.
Amen.
I have never been as furious as I was yesterday and today I am still seething. This was a total failure by Capitol Hill police. Anyone who was paying attention to social media and have been watching Drumpf knew there was going to be trouble yesterday. And yet it wasn’t till this morning that they erected security fencing around the Capitol. It should never have happened.
Matt Gaetz must have been cowering under a desk during the siege yesterday frantically texting out the new republican party line to all MAGAts . OK everybody, this looks bad. We need to claim it was antifa – yeah, that’ll work – antifa masquerading as drumpf supporters. We can sell that.
How long did it take his little pea brain to come up with that alternate fact or did he already have it in his back pocket just in case.
(an aside, how rotten do you have to be to stand against a group that denounces fascism – I guess it takes a loser who promotes it – profa).
Also Matty, how does that jive with your fuhrer’s remarks about how special these people are to him and how he loves them; saying this after he saw the destruction they were causing. These people can’t even do evil right.
Sorry Matt goetz, rcvd zero antifa vibe. The creepy things in the capitol were MAGA ugly. Maskless, foul, it wasn’t just the bad lighting. Those ppl were the quintessential basket d’ deplorables
The images of what happened will be forever burned into my brain. Horrifying. My husband and I were watching, and right away we said, where is law enforcement? We all knew there was going to be violence on that day. No surprise to anyone. But the fact these terrorists gained entrance so easily was bizarre. Believe me, if I was touring that building and walked somewhere I shouldn’t (as a peaceful tourist), law enforcement would immediately be: “Ma’am? Ma’am? You can’t walk over here ma’am.” And if I refused to move, I would be forcibly escorted out or arrested. But these people? They made it in far too easily. The lack of law enforcement, the refusal to call in National Guard makes it clear (to me) this was a real coup attempt. It had to be. After all, what did these people plan to do once they were in the building? Mess up some offices and go home? I believe they were planning on holding hostages until their idol was certified as president for a second term, and in response, Trump would have declared martial law. There had to be more to this plan than just rioting and destruction of property. What would that have gotten them (and Trump)? Not much. But hostage taking leading to marital law would have given Trump a chance to remain in power. He has been angling to be a fascist dictator for some time. And no, I am not a left wing liberal snowflake. I was a Republican until 2016. We also have to remember, successful coups are almost always preceded by unsuccessful coups. So we got “lucky” this time. But the next?