The protests and riots that took place at the United States Capitol on January 6th, 2021 were partisan actions. Taking a stance on the matter might come off as “siding with one party over the other” but that isn’t the case. Obviously, we all want our voices to be heard and the right to peacefully protest is a fundamental ideal, inscribed in our Constitution. What we don’t have the right to do is breach federal buildings. The actions of those who entered and caused disruptions at the Capitol were direct consequences of the misinformation about the election that they had consumed.
The attack on the Capitol was a shocking and tragic event. Congresspersons’ lives were put at risk, the democratic election process was threatened and several people died. Confederate flags flew high, people with intentions to overturn the election and take hostages breached the building with known Nazis and white nationalists in tow. Let that sink in.
Most would condemn the actions of the insurrectionists. However, not all would agree on who is to blame for it. Many see Donald Trump as to blame for the insurrection including Mitch Mcconnel, Senate Minority Leader who, on Tuesday the 19th stated that the violent mob was “provoked by the president”. Donald Trump’s accusations of widespread voter fraud have certainly made an impact on his supporters. So much so that hundreds are willing to die as martyrs if it means granting their president a second term.
Stark contrasts can be seen between the reactions of law enforcement at the “Save America” March on the 6th and peaceful Black Lives Matter protests this past summer. Even though it was known that Trump was hosting a rally near the Capitol on the 6th and that he said it would be “wild,” Capitol police were ill-prepared to defend the building and the National Guard didn’t show up until hours after the breach. Self-proclaimed unregulated free speech communication networks, such as Parler have entertained conversations between users about armed insurrection, war, and this idea of getting ready for anything prior to the attack on the 6th. When it comes to law enforcement, it would be hard to deny that the response to Black Lives Matter protests is typically faster and more aggressive than those of mostly white Trump supporters.
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