Insurrection on the Capitol
January 6, 2021
Insurrection on the Capitol
January 6, 2021
Embedded Files
January 6, 2021
January 6, 2021 will be a date where many individuals nationwide, and later worldwide, will remember for decades to come.
That afternoon, Congress gathered at the United States Capitol to certify the election results for the 2021 election. Unfortunately, Congresswomen and men were nearly cornered by a violent mass mob of Trump supporters who broke into the building. However, the leading to this was in plain sight. Just 1,400 Capitol Police officers were on duty at the time, and National Guardsmen didn’t arrive until hours after the invasion began.
According to ProPublica in an article published on the day following the Insurrection, those who stormed the Capitol openly the discussed the (then) idea specifically occupy the outside of the Capitol on the day of the certification, according to the leaders of the Stop the Steal movement. This aims to separate the Stop the Steal movement from the Wild Protest (the name given to the actual insurrection itself, taken from a tweet by Trump where he states, "Big protest in D.C. on January 6th. Be there, will be wild!", encouraging his supporters to be rambunctious.
Ali Alexander, the founder of the movement, encouraged people to bring tents and sleeping bags and avoid wearing masks for the event. “If D.C. escalates… so do we,” Alexander wrote on Parler.
On Dec. 12, a poster on the website MyMilitia.com urged violence if senators made official the victory of President-elect Joe Biden.
“If this does not change, then I advocate, Revolution and adherence to the rules of war,” wrote someone identifying themselves as I3DI. “I say, take the hill or die trying.”
“It’s already apparent that literally millions of Americans are on the verge of activating their Second Amendment duty to defeat tyranny and save the republic.”
Their goal of stopping the election certification, based on unfounded conspiracy theories of widespread voter fraud, was encouraged by elected officials like Rep. Mo Brooks, Rep. Paul Gosar, Sen. Josh Hawley, and Sen. Ted Cruz, the largest issue of this was Trump himself.
Some who responded to Trump’s call to storm the Capitol, prompting clashes in which a police officer was killed, a rioter was shot dead and three others died, were caught on video chanting “Hang Mike Pence” after he withstood demands by the president that he engineer overturning the election result, which is not in his power.
Trump’s potential to fuel further unrest is a source of anxiety. Behind the scenes, he has reportedly continued his retreat into paranoia and unreality, repeating in a conversation with the House majority leader, Kevin McCarthy, the lie that so-called “antifa” leftwing activists, not his supporters, were responsible for death and destruction inside the Capitol.
Timeline of January 6th Events
Timeline of January 6th Events
8:17am
Trump tweets allegation of voter fraud ahead of his D.C. rally
8:17am
Trump tweets allegation of voter fraud ahead of his D.C. rally
10:58am
Members of the Proud Boys are seen headed towards the Capitol
One P.B. member spoke to Newsnight's U.S. correspondent David Grossman saying, "We're taking our country back."
10:58am
Members of the Proud Boys are seen headed towards the Capitol
One P.B. member spoke to Newsnight's U.S. correspondent David Grossman saying, "We're taking our country back."
12:00pm
Trump begins his speech; approximately 15 minutes in, he begins to encourage the attendees to march on the Capitol.
12:00pm
Trump begins his speech; approximately 15 minutes in, he begins to encourage the attendees to march on the Capitol.
"I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard," he said.
"I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard," he said.
12:53pm
Trump continues to speak and the crowd outside of the Capitol is growing. They begin to march toward the police barrier and end up getting past the officers. It is noticed that the rioters have hateful flags and weapons. One of the rioters stood on a handmade gallows, complete with a noose. Minutes later, Pelosi begins the certification process.
12:53pm
Trump continues to speak and the crowd outside of the Capitol is growing. They begin to march toward the police barrier and end up getting past the officers. It is noticed that the rioters have hateful flags and weapons. One of the rioters stood on a handmade gallows, complete with a noose. Minutes later, Pelosi begins the certification process.
1:10pm
Trump ends his speech with the words: "We fight. We fight like hell and if you don't fight like hell, you're not going to have a country anymore. So let's walk down Pennsylvania Avenue." Shortly afterwards a Capitol police officer calls for backup. "They're throwing metal poles at us," he says. "Multiple law-enforcement injuries," he adds in a panicked voice. Capitol police send an evacuation warning.
1:10pm
Trump ends his speech with the words: "We fight. We fight like hell and if you don't fight like hell, you're not going to have a country anymore. So let's walk down Pennsylvania Avenue." Shortly afterwards a Capitol police officer calls for backup. "They're throwing metal poles at us," he says. "Multiple law-enforcement injuries," he adds in a panicked voice. Capitol police send an evacuation warning.
1:45pm
Protesters surge past Capitol police protecting the west steps. Minutes later, an officer declares there is a riot at the Capitol. "We're going to give riot warnings," he says. "We're going to try to get compliance but this is now effectively a riot." Mike Pence is continuing to preside over the session.
1:45pm
Protesters surge past Capitol police protecting the west steps. Minutes later, an officer declares there is a riot at the Capitol. "We're going to give riot warnings," he says. "We're going to try to get compliance but this is now effectively a riot." Mike Pence is continuing to preside over the session.
2:13pm
Secret Service evacuate Mr Pence from the Senate floor. The protesters break through the windows. They push inside, hopping through the broken glass. They then kick open the doors to let others in. An immediate recess of the Senate is called. The mob, a floor below them, has already begun to search for the Senate chamber. Officer Goodman makes his way down to the first floor where he encounters the mob. He lures the armed rioters away from the upper chamber. Many of these individuals have been calling for Mr Pence to be hanged. At the same time, Ms Pelosi is rushed from the house floor. She is evacuated entirely from the Capitol complex to a secure off-site location. The rioters chant: "Where are you Nancy?" In an audio clip, we hear one staff member whisper: "They're pounding on doors trying to find her." One man breaks open the outer door to the office where the staff are hiding, but not the inner door. Another tries as well, but eventually moves on.
2:13pm
Secret Service evacuate Mr Pence from the Senate floor. The protesters break through the windows. They push inside, hopping through the broken glass. They then kick open the doors to let others in. An immediate recess of the Senate is called. The mob, a floor below them, has already begun to search for the Senate chamber. Officer Goodman makes his way down to the first floor where he encounters the mob. He lures the armed rioters away from the upper chamber. Many of these individuals have been calling for Mr Pence to be hanged. At the same time, Ms Pelosi is rushed from the house floor. She is evacuated entirely from the Capitol complex to a secure off-site location. The rioters chant: "Where are you Nancy?" In an audio clip, we hear one staff member whisper: "They're pounding on doors trying to find her." One man breaks open the outer door to the office where the staff are hiding, but not the inner door. Another tries as well, but eventually moves on.
2:24pm
Trump tweets regarding Pence:
2:24pm
Trump tweets regarding Pence:
Mike Pence didn't have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution, giving States a chance to certify a corrected set of facts, not the fraudulent or innacurate ones which they were ask to previously certify
The House floor debate is suspended to update members. House members are told to reach for tear gas masks and be prepared to use them. The House is called back into session in the hope of continuing the count. But minutes later the House is abruptly recessed. Members are told to get down under their chairs if necessary. "Folks have entered the rotunda and are coming this way," lawmakers are told. Democratic Congressman Eric Swalwell sends a text to his wife: "I love you and the babies. Please hug them for me". The mob outside the chamber grows larger and they get within feet of the house door..
2:26pm
Trump called Senator Mike Lee; Mr Lee has said that apparently the call was meant for Alabama senator Tommy Tuberville, and that he handed his phone to his colleague. Mr Tuberville told reporters that he informed Mr Trump that Mr Pence had been evacuated from the Senate floor. "I said: Mr President, they've taken the vice-president out. They want me to get off the phone, I gotta go." House impeachment managers say it is further evidence that the president knew how much danger his vice-president was in.
2:26pm
Trump called Senator Mike Lee; Mr Lee has said that apparently the call was meant for Alabama senator Tommy Tuberville, and that he handed his phone to his colleague. Mr Tuberville told reporters that he informed Mr Trump that Mr Pence had been evacuated from the Senate floor. "I said: Mr President, they've taken the vice-president out. They want me to get off the phone, I gotta go." House impeachment managers say it is further evidence that the president knew how much danger his vice-president was in.
2:41pm
Ashli Babbit is seen turning the corner towards the House lobby doors as members are leaving. House Rules Committee Chairman James McGovern is spotted by the mob as he leaves the House floor. In a hallway outside the House chamber, a group attempts to force its way through a set of locked doors. The glass window panes on the doors are shattered. A rioter uses a baton to smash through as the crowd around him chants "break it down, break it down". Footage shows the hands of an officer on the other side, holding a gun and pointing it toward the mob. We hear a shot and see Babbitt fall to the ground. A number of rioters reach the inside of the Senate gallery. Video footage shows some rioters rifling through papers and materials left behind by lawmakers. "There's got to be something we can use against these scumbags," one says.
2:41pm
Ashli Babbit is seen turning the corner towards the House lobby doors as members are leaving. House Rules Committee Chairman James McGovern is spotted by the mob as he leaves the House floor. In a hallway outside the House chamber, a group attempts to force its way through a set of locked doors. The glass window panes on the doors are shattered. A rioter uses a baton to smash through as the crowd around him chants "break it down, break it down". Footage shows the hands of an officer on the other side, holding a gun and pointing it toward the mob. We hear a shot and see Babbitt fall to the ground. A number of rioters reach the inside of the Senate gallery. Video footage shows some rioters rifling through papers and materials left behind by lawmakers. "There's got to be something we can use against these scumbags," one says.
3:13pm
Trump tweets again
3:13pm
Trump tweets again
I am asking for everyone at the U.S. Capitol to remain peaceful. No violence! Remember, WE are the Party of Law & Order - respect the Law and our great men and women in Blue. Thank you.
The mob is still at the Capitol. Footage shows a sprawling mob, a sea of people on the Capitol grounds.
4:17pm
Trump released a video that tells the mob to go home.
4:17pm
Trump released a video that tells the mob to go home.
6:00pm
Trump tweets again 15 minutes after police have confirmed Ashli Babbitt has died:
6:00pm
Trump tweets again 15 minutes after police have confirmed Ashli Babbitt has died:
These are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously and viciously stripped away from great patriots who have been badly and unfairly treated for so long. Go home with love and in peace. Remember this day forever!
In March 2021, American Oversight obtained copies of the fake electoral slates from Trump supporters in seven states in support of Trump after the November 2020 election. The documents, part of the former president’s desperate bid to cling to power in his final months in office, drew significant scrutiny in the House’s investigation of the efforts to disrupt the congressional certification of Joe Biden’s win.
In March 2022, the Washington Post and CBS News reported that records turned over to the committee from the White House showed a gap of more than seven hours in Trump’s phone records from that day, including during times that the president made and received calls that had since been publicly reported.
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