Although both demonstrations brought thousands of people to the Capitol, the Jan. 6 insurrection that followed a speech from then-President Donald Trump left both demonstrators and police injured or, in some cases, dead.
Video and images from the riot show demonstrators beating a police officer with objects, including a hockey stick; assaulting a photographer; carrying zip-tie handcuffs, and breaking out windows in the Capitol.
U.S. Capitol Police also reported that two pipe bombs were discovered nearby during the demonstrations.
“These individuals actively attacked United States Capitol Police Officers and other uniformed law enforcement officers with metal pipes, discharged chemical irritants, and took up other weapons against our officers. They were determined to enter into the Capitol Building by causing great damage,” now-former U.S. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund said in a prepared statement.
A Capitol police officer died from injuries sustained during the riot, according to the department, and a Capitol police officer shot and killed a woman who was trying to enter the Speaker’s Lobby through a broken window.
![[Image: 499ef827-d18d-4c96-8c0a-130a4f771a96-AP_...&auto=webp]](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2021/01/27/USAT/499ef827-d18d-4c96-8c0a-130a4f771a96-AP_Capitol_Breach_The_Road_to_Riot.jpg?width=660&height=440&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp) Three other people died from medical emergencies during the demonstration.
As of Feb. 1, the Department of Justice has announced federal charges related to the Jan. 6 insurrection against 160 people from across the country. Charges include assault of a federal officer, carrying a gun or ammunition on Capitol grounds, violent entry on Capitol grounds and theft of government property, among others.
Our ruling: Missing contextA post equating the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol to 2018 demonstrations against the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court is MISSING CONTEXT, based on our research, because without additional information it could be misleading. Photos in the post authentically represent the 2018 protests, but the text leaves out key differences between the demonstrations, including violence during the Jan. 6 riot that resulted in the death of a U.S. Capitol Police officer and a demonstrator. Protesters also did not enter the Supreme Court in 2018, as the post claims. The Capitol was open to the public in 2018, but closed during the Jan. 6 riot.
Our fact-check sources: - Reuters, Sept. 7, 2018, Hundreds arrested in multi-day protests of U.S. Supreme Court nominee
- Washington Post, Oct. 4, 2018, Hundreds arrested in protest against Trump’s Supreme Court nominee
- U.S. Capitol Police, Oct. 5, 2018, U.S. Capitol Police Respond to Multiple Instances of Unlawful Demonstration Activities
- NBC News, Oct. 6, 2018, Protesters pound the doors of the Supreme Court following Kavanaugh confirmation
- U.S. Capitol Police, Jan. 7, Statement of Steven Sund, Chief of Police, Regarding the Events of January 6, 2021
- U.S. Capitol Police, Jan. 7, Loss of USCP Officer Brian D. Sicknick
- USA TODAY, Jan. 7, California woman killed during Capitol riot was a military veteran and staunch Trump supporter
- USA TODAY, Jan. 7, Three people died from medical emergencies on Capitol grounds Wednesday. Who were they?
- Boston.com, Jan. 8, AP photographer shares harrowing video of pro-Trump mob attacking colleague outside Capitol
- Associated Press, Jan. 14, Prosecutor: US Capitol rioter with zip ties meant 'to take hostages'
- CNN video, accessed Feb. 3, Rioters break windows and breach US Capitol
- U.S. Department of Justice, accessed Feb. 3, List of charges announced against alleged participants in Capitol riot
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/fact...343790001/
After pro-Trump rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, social media users started drawing comparisons to protests against Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court, arguing that there was a double standard at play that sought to fault only conservatives.
One post, though, inaccurately portrays a photo that wasn’t taken at the Kavanaugh protests.
“Democrat legislators and the (mainstream media) cheered it on. If it wasn’t for double standards liberals would have no standards at all,” a Facebook post reads.
The post included a photo of a crowded building filled with protesters wielding signs.
The post has been shared more than 600 times. USA TODAY has reached out to the user for comment.
Fact check:Post comparing Capitol riot to 2018 Kavanaugh protests lacks context
The photo was taken in 2011The photo included in the viral post does not show the Kavanaugh protests in Washington, D.C. in 2018. In fact, the photo was taken at the Wisconsin State Capitol in 2011.
Visually similar photos taken by Getty Images captured the protests taking place in Madison, Wisconsin. Thousands of Wisconsin teachers, state workers and unions protested for weeks, starting in mid-February, according to captions of the photos.
The demonstrators gathered to voice opposition to then-Gov. Scott Walker's measure to all but end collective bargaining for most of Wisconsin's public workers, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, part of the USA TODAY Network.
Unlike the U.S. Capitol siege, which left five people dead, the Wisconsin protests were largely peaceful. There were no reports of looting, ransacking or thefts, the Journal Sentinel reported.
There were also zero deaths and no one was arrested for bringing a weapon to the protests, WUWM reported.
Fact check:Photo shows U.S. Capitol cleanup after rioters left American flag among debris
Kavanaugh protests at U.S. Capitol in 2018In 2018, people demonstrated both in and outside the U.S. Capitol building during Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearings.
While some demonstrators protested outside, others waited in line for tickets to the confirmation hearing where they gathered to disrupt senators questioning Kavanaugh, USA TODAY reported.
Protests erupted after California professor Christine Blasey Ford alleged that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were in high school decades earlier. Kavanaugh has denied these allegations.
Fact check: Lincoln watched baseball games in front of White House, but image in meme is from 1945
Roughly 300 people were arrested in October 2018 for protesting Kavanaugh's nomination, the Washington Post reported.
Protesters at the Kavanaugh demonstration have criticized the U.S. Capitol Police for its handling of the pro-Trump riot, pointing out instances of people being arrested while peacefully protesting Kavanaugh’s nomination, according to the Lily.
Fact check:Congress expelled 14 members in 1861 for supporting the Confederacy
Our rating: FalseThe claim that a viral photo depicts Democrats storming the U.S. Capitol to protest Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court in 2018 is FALSE, based on our research. The photo shows protesters at the Wisconsin State Capitol in 2011, and the protests were largely peaceful.
Our fact-checking sources: - Getty Images, Feb. 18, 2011, photo
- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Jan. 8, "Some are comparing the U.S. Capitol riot to Wisconsin's Act 10 protests in 2011. Here are the key differences"
- WUWM, Jan. 14, "Why Wisconsin's Act 10 Protests And U.S. Capitol Insurrection Shouldn't Be Compared"
- USA TODAY, Sept. 26, 2018, "Kavanaugh accuser Christine Blasey Ford offers Senate four people she told about assault claims"
- The Washington Post, Jan. 8, "Arrested by Capitol Police at peaceful protests? You’re not alone"
- The Lily, Jan. 12, "She was arrested by Capitol Police for protesting Kavanaugh. The response to pro-Trump rioters was ‘an outrage'"
Quote: @badgervike said:
Here's a few more video clips of the Capitol riot. NYT should add to their montage....
https://kprcradio.iheart.com/featured/wa...r-capitol/
Here's my take....if a protester broke the law, they should be afforded due process, charged and sentenced after their day in court. The same should be said for Antifa, BLM and the Kavanaugh protesters.
If you watch the video in the OP, it shows that on one side of the Capitol the protestors were largely violent, breaking windows, destroying the building, shoving barricades at police officers, fighting with police (used pepper spray, bats, hockey sticks, etc.), and vandalizing offices. The other side was much more peaceful entering the building.
But feel free to believe it was a "normal tourist visit"... it's a sad day when American citizens can watch what happened that day and be OK with it.
I've said all along they should have opened fire on anyone who crossed the police line. They should have on 1/6/21 and they should have any other time people rioted past police lines at the capital. If that happened during the Kavanaugh protests then so be it.
The dipshits on 1/6 were domestic terrorists and should have been treated as such. I'm glad that they've arrested a huge portion of the idiots.
Quote: @Wetlander said:
@ badgervike said:
Here's a few more video clips of the Capitol riot. NYT should add to their montage....
https://kprcradio.iheart.com/featured/wa...r-capitol/
Here's my take....if a protester broke the law, they should be afforded due process, charged and sentenced after their day in court. The same should be said for Antifa, BLM and the Kavanaugh protesters.
If you watch the video in the OP, it shows that on one side of the Capitol the protestors were largely violent, breaking windows, destroying the building, shoving barricades at police officers, fighting with police (used pepper spray, bats, hockey sticks, etc.), and vandalizing offices. The other side was much more peaceful entering the building.
But feel free to believe it was a "normal tourist visit"... it's a sad day when American citizens can watch what happened that day and be OK with it.
I don't think I said it was a "normal tourist visit". Far from it. I don't advocate lawlessness...period. I said "if a protester broke the law, they should be afforded due process, charged and sentenced after their day in court. The same should be said for Antifa, BLM and the Kavanaugh protesters."
The Capitol protests clearly got out of hand...particularly because of some agitators among the group intent on destruction. They should be punished to the full extent. I was pointing out that there was another side of the protests. If this was Antifa...this would have been called a "mostly peaceful" protest. We can't advocate for and make excuses for the violence on the left yet be incensed because of the violence on the right. They should all be held accountable. I think the Antifa death toll is now over 40 with billions of dollars in damage from "mostly peaceful protests". Let's quit making excuses for this type of activity on both sides and hold these people accountable.
Quote: @badgervike said:
@ Wetlander said:
@ badgervike said:
Here's a few more video clips of the Capitol riot. NYT should add to their montage....
https://kprcradio.iheart.com/featured/wa...r-capitol/
Here's my take....if a protester broke the law, they should be afforded due process, charged and sentenced after their day in court. The same should be said for Antifa, BLM and the Kavanaugh protesters.
If you watch the video in the OP, it shows that on one side of the Capitol the protestors were largely violent, breaking windows, destroying the building, shoving barricades at police officers, fighting with police (used pepper spray, bats, hockey sticks, etc.), and vandalizing offices. The other side was much more peaceful entering the building.
But feel free to believe it was a "normal tourist visit"... it's a sad day when American citizens can watch what happened that day and be OK with it.
I don't think I said it was a "normal tourist visit". Far from it. I don't advocate lawlessness...period. I said "if a protester broke the law, they should be afforded due process, charged and sentenced after their day in court. The same should be said for Antifa, BLM and the Kavanaugh protesters."
The Capitol protests clearly got out of hand...particularly because of some agitators among the group intent on destruction. They should be punished to the full extent. I was pointing out that there was another side of the protests. If this was Antifa...this would have been called a "mostly peaceful" protest. We can't advocate for and make excuses for the violence on the left yet be incensed because of the violence on the right. They should all be held accountable. I think the Antifa death toll is now over 40 with billions of dollars in damage from "mostly peaceful protests". Let's quit making excuses for this type of activity on both sides and hold these people accountable.
Agreed. As with most protests that turn violent, there are agitators. Like the BLM/antifa protests that happened around the country, I think most people went with innocent intentions, to protest and be seen, not to destroy property. But a few agitators can get large groups to act out violently.
I agree with Badger here, the attacks on the federal building in Portland was much more violent and has gone on for longer. Where is that news story, congressional investigation, national outrage? Non-existent. Many more officers have been hurt, property damaged and violent intent. So there should be much more response to that.
The idiots that broke into the capitol, stole stuff, vandalized and went into unauthorized areas are being prosecuted. Yet we continue to see the outrage being stoked, more investigations. Harmless idiots are being arrested and charged with serious crimes. So I am not too worried about people thinking these idiots are getting away with something.
The January 6 Insurrection Hoax
Notwithstanding all the hysterical rhetoric surrounding the events of January 6, 2021, two critical things stand out. The first is that what happened was much more hoax than insurrection. In fact, in my judgment, it wasn’t an insurrection at all.
An “insurrection,” as the dictionary will tell you, is a violent uprising against a government or other established authority. Unlike the violent riots that swept the country in the summer of 2020—riots that caused some $2 billion in property damage and claimed more than 20 lives—the January 6 protest at the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. lasted a few hours, caused minimal damage, and the only person directly killed was an unarmed female Trump supporter who was shot by a Capitol Police officer. It was, as Tucker Carlson said shortly after the event, a political protest that “got out of hand.”
At the rally preceding the events in question, Donald Trump had suggested that people march to the Capitol “peacefully and patriotically”—these were his exact words—in order to make their voices heard. He did not incite a riot; he stirred up a crowd. Was that, given the circumstances, imprudent? Probably. Was it an effort to overthrow the government? Hardly.
I know this is not the narrative that we have all been instructed to parrot. Indeed, to listen to the establishment media and our political masters, the January 6 protest was a dire threat to the very fabric of our nation: the worst assault on “our democracy” since 9/11, since Pearl Harbor, and even—according to Joe Biden last April—since the Civil War!
Note that phrase “our democracy”: Nancy Pelosi, Joe Biden, and various talking heads have repeated it ad nauseam. But you do not need an advanced degree in hermeneutics to understand that what they mean by “our democracy” is their oligarchy. Similarly, when Pelosi talks about “the people’s house,” she doesn’t mean a house that welcomes riff-raff like you and me.
I just alluded to Ashli Babbitt, the unarmed supporter of Donald Trump who was shot and killed on January 6. Her fate brings me to the second critical thing to understand about the January 6 insurrection hoax. Namely, that it was not a stand-alone event.
On the contrary, what happened that afternoon, and what happened afterwards, is only intelligible when seen as a chapter in the long-running effort to discredit and, ultimately, to dispose of Donald Trump—as well as what Hillary Clinton might call the “deplorable” populist sentiment that brought Trump to power.
In other words, to understand the January 6 insurrection hoax, you also have to understand that other long-running hoax, the Russia collusion hoax. The story of that hoax begins back in 2015, when the resources of the federal government were first mobilized to spy on the Trump campaign, to frame various people close to Trump, and eventually to launch a full-throated criminal investigation of the Trump administration.
From before Trump took office, the Russia collusion hoax was used as a pretext to create a parallel administration shadowing the elected administration. Remember the Steele dossier, the fantastical document confected by the “well-regarded” former British spy Christopher Steele? We know now that it was the only relevant predicate for ordering FISA warrants to spy on Carter Page and other American citizens.
But in truth, the Steele dossier was just opposition dirt covertly paid for by the Democratic National Committee and the Hillary Clinton campaign. From beginning to end, it was a tissue of lies and fabrications. Everyone involved knew all along it was garbage—rumors and fantasies fed to a gullible Steele by shady Russian sources. But it was nonetheless used to deploy, illegally, the awesome coercive power of the state against a presidential candidate of whom the ruling bureaucracy and its favored candidate disapproved.
The public learned that the Democratic National Committee paid for the manufactured evidence only because of a court order. James Comey, the disgraced former director of the FBI, publicly denied knowing who paid for it, but emails from a year earlier prove that he knew all along. And what was the penalty for lying in Comey’s case? He got a huge book deal and toured the country denouncing Trump to the gleeful satisfaction of his anti-Trump audiences.
What was true of Comey was also true of the entire intelligence apparat, from former CIA Director John Brennan to Congressman Adam Schiff and other Democratic members of the House Intelligence Committee to senior members of the FBI. All these people said publicly that they had seen clear evidence of collusion with Russia. But they admitted under oath behind closed doors that they hadn’t.
General Michael Flynn, Trump’s original National Security Advisor, had his career ruined and was bankrupted as part of this political vendetta. Meanwhile James Comey, Andrew McCabe, Lisa Page, John Brennan, Peter Strzok, and all the rest of the crew at the FBI, the CIA, and other intelligence agencies suffered nothing. When it came to light that an FBI lawyer altered an email in order to help get a FISA warrant—in other words, that he doctored evidence to spy on a political opponent, which is a felony—he got probation.
The recent news that Special Counsel John Durham is indicting Michael Sussman, a lawyer who covertly worked for the Clinton campaign and lied to the FBI, is welcome news. But it seems like small beer given the rampant higher-level corruption that saturated the Russia collusion hoax.
At least 74 million citizens voted for Donald Trump in 2020, which is at least 11 million more than voted for him in 2016. Many of those voters are profoundly disillusioned and increasingly angry about this entire story—the years-long Robert Mueller “investigation,” the two impeachments of President Trump, the cloud of unknowing that surrounds the 2020 election, and the many questions that have emerged not only from the January 6 protest at the Capitol, but even more from the government’s response to that protest.
Which brings me back to Ashli Babbitt, the long-serving Air Force veteran who was shot and killed by a nervous Capitol Police officer. Babbitt was a useful prop when the media was in overdrive describing the January 6 events as an “armed insurrection” in which wild Trump supporters, supposedly at Trump’s instigation, attacked the Capitol with the intention of overturning the 2020 election.
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