A discomforting shadow is cast on America as a surge of alt-right rioters stormed the Capitol building in Washington DC in an attempt to overthrow the official declaration of a new president. The event has led to numerous government spaces being destroyed and even the death of a law enforcement officer.
On Wednesday, January 6, a large crowd of Trump-loyal extremists stormed the Capitol Building. The rioters invaded the Senate and House of Representative chambers, prompting members of congress, as well as the Vice President, to either go into hiding or evacuate the building. Additionally, many extremists were reportedly attacking the police with metal pipes, mace, and improvised weapons.
A Police Officer Died, 56 Injured
According to a report by NPR on Friday morning, taking a statement from the U.S. Capitol Police, one officer has died as a result from the invasion.
“At approximately 9:30 p.m. this evening (January 7, 2021), United States Capitol Police Officer Brian D. Sicknick passed away due to injuries sustained while on-duty.
Officer Sicknick was responding to the riots on Wednesday, January 6, 2021, at the U.S. Capitol and was injured while physically engaging with protesters. He returned to his division office and collapsed.”
His death is being investigated by the local Homicide branch. There were 56 other officers that sustained injuries from the event, including mob tazing. These officers are recovering and not at risk of death, however.
Four Rioters Died, 70+ Arrested
All in all, this has led to 50+ criminal cases of violence, including assault, possession of a firearm in the Capitol building, theft, property destruction, and even one individual case of someone with 11 Molotov Cocktails. There were two improvised explosives found at the location, though that is still under investigation. About 70 rioters were arrested so far.
Four rioters were killed in the event, as well. The instances happened inside of the Capitol building when police were attempting to prevent more of the mob from entering.
Why the Invasion
The main purpose of the event, which was revealed to be an organized plan on social media platforms like Facebook, was intended to disrupt the official declaration of President Elect Joe Biden from being confirmed to have won the election. Wednesday was when the final electoral votes were to be confirmed as authentic, solidifying Biden’s victory in the election.
Many are pointing toward Donald Trump as the primary motivation behind the insurrection. He has been claiming that the election was fraudulent since the final votes were counted, encouraging his following to reject and “fight back” against the results. While he has not directly commanded the invasion, many believe him to be responsible for cultivating a following that would do such a thing.
Deeper Issues People Have Noticed
People are also criticizing how passive local law enforcement has been about the riot. Just last year, we saw countless instances of police brutality against peaceful protests in regards to the BLM movement. Things like tear gas, rubber bullets, and even tanks, were deployed against non-violent protesters. But when this riot happens, and people violently storm a major government building, minimal force is used. There’s even video footage of police officers opening the gates for them willingly and taking selfies with the rioters.
Many believe that this is because of the police sharing a similar ideology with the rioters in regards to race. In short: they think that the police were only violent with BLM instances because they dislike black people. While when white people want to attack the government, they’re ok with it. While we cannot confirm or deny these claims, this entire incident has further highlighted the way that law enforcement will bend the rules to fit their own agenda.
This entire thing is a giant, anti-American mess. This country was founded on the idea of fair and equal representation through a democratic vote. To try and invade a government building to overthrow the results of voting goes against that. Anyone that supports this event and claims to love America is, to be frank, a liar. Things like this lead to dictatorships. And we should know how well those worked for other countries.
Image Source: Moorsville Tribune