Riots on the Capitol
Vice President Mike Pence stood up against President Donald Trump Wednesday January 6, 2021 as he affirmed President-elect Joe Biden’s victory, which swiftly puts an end to the last ditch Trump efforts to disregard democracy and millions of people’s votes.
In an overdue play, Pence acknowledged that the Administration does not have the authority to throw out electoral college votes as Trump and some of his attorneys had desired.
Pence said the count “shall be deemed a sufficient declaration” of Biden’s victory, but fell silent of congratulatory words to the Biden Administration. This came post a tremulous day of violence and domestic terrorism, for a pro-Trump mob attempted to seize the Capitol, sending Congress into delaying the affirmation of Biden’s win in the Electoral College.
“It is my considered judgment that my oath to support and defend the Constitution constrains me from claiming unilateral authority to determine which electoral votes should be counted and which should not,” Pence wrote to members of Congress. Soon afterwards, the domestic terrorists energized by Trump’s statements swarmed the Capitol like parasites.
Trump declared to supporters, “If Mike Pence does the right thing we win the election.” Throughout the speech, he made his frustrations of Pence known attempting to publicly pressure the Vice President to redact his statement.
“Mike Pence is going to have to come through for us. And if he doesn’t, its a sad day for our country,” he said.
And indeed it was, as soon after hundreds of Pro- Trump rioters terrorized Washington D.C., killed 4 people, and injured multiple police officers as they overtook the Capitol (Officers from Washington, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department).
1 p.m. ET – January 6, 2021- hundreds of pro-Trump protesters seen called officers ‘traitors’ for failing to do their jobs while they pushed the barriers protecting the Capitol back. They successfully enter after 90 minutes where they occupied the House front door until 3 p.m. ET. All Congressmembers and the Vice President were secured, never leaving Congress as their votes were still needed to approve the Electoral College win.
3 p.m. ET – January 6, 2021- Officers engaged in armed standoff, shot one individual who attempted to breach the House of Representatives.
5:45 p.m. ET – January 6, 2021- According to the sergeant-at-arms, the building was secured at roughly this time.
Later into the night statements came pouring in. Bowser’s office released a statement announcing the extension of the city’s emergency order.
“First Amendment protests have turned violent. Many persons came to the District armed and for the purpose of engaging in violence and destruction and have engaged in violence and destruction. They have fired chemical irritants, bricks, bottles, and guns. They have breached the security of the Capitol and their destructive and riotous behavior has the potential to spread beyond the Capitol. Their motivation is ongoing…
Today, they sought to disrupt the Congressional proceedings relating to the acceptance of electoral college votes.
… President Trump continues to fan rage and violence by contending that the Presidential election was invalid. Persons are dissatisfied with judicial rulings and the findings of State Boards of Elections, and some persons can be expected to continue their violent protests through the inauguration.”
In addition, U.S. attorney’s from throughout the nation tweeted or stated outright that those who partook in the federal crimes will be charged with intent to commit such crimes and prosecuted in their home state.
However, there exists no current response from FBI Director Christopher Wray. He commented on the Black Life Matter protests calling them a ‘threat ot life’, yet remains silent on matters of true domestic terrorism.
The terrifying display of insurrection has not been seen since the British attacked during the War of 1812.
“This has not happened since 1814.”
senior U.S. intelligence official @ Newsweek
The riots were met with notably less police force than many of the Black Lives Matter protests that occurred throughout the nation. While these terrorists threatened our very democracy, the Black Lives Matter peaceful protesters in Lafayette Square were brutally attacked so that Trump could take a photo in front of a nearby church at the time…
Nonetheless, as democracy holds strong, lawmakers returned to teh Capitol once the building was safe and secure to resume their necessary business — officially confirming Biden’s win over Trump by counting the votes in the Electoral College.
8 p.m. ET – January 6, 2021- Pence brought the Senate session back into order with the ever true words,
“Let’s get back to work.”
Not soon enough (roughly 2-3p.m. ET) – January 6, 2021- Trump called on his supporters to “go home” the one-minute video complaining about the 2020 Election results.
In one shocking moment, Trump told the mob to “go home,” to later add, “We love you. You are very special.”
Trump’s empathetic tone took hold, “I know your pain, I know you’re hurt. We had an election that was stolen from us. It was a landslide election and everyone knows it. Especially the other side. But you have to go home now. We have to have peace.”
To make his response worse, Trump practically justified the terrorist’s actions with praise on Twitter.
“These are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously & viciously stripped away from great patriots who have been badly & unfairly treated for so long. Go home with love & in peace. Remember this day forever!” he said, in a tweet that was later deleted by Twitter.
Nonetheless given COVID’s threat to public safety, Biden’s inauguration team stated the celebratory proceedings will undergo a virtual celebration. “The parade will celebrate America’s heroes, highlight Americans from all walks of life in different states and regions, and reflect on the diversity, heritage, and resilience of the country as we begin a new American era,” read a Sunday statement from the Presidential Inauguration Committee.
Notwithstanding COVID, virtual may be the way to go as both National Committee’s HQs were evacuated due to pipe bombs. The Democratic National Committee was evacuated coincidingly to the riots after a suspicious package was found. The DNC though preemptively closed the building ahead of the suspected 100% chance of Proud Boy protests. Meanwhile, the pipe bomb at the Republican National Committee’s headquarters, a RNC was found on the ground outside and was safely detonated by the police.