Jan 6 Attack

Lauren Johnson, Leanna Long, Lian Kleinman, David Waddilove, Jack Donovan

What happened on January 6th?

On January 6, 2021, Congress was set to confirm the 2020 presidential election results. On December 18, Trump used Twitter to inform the public of a rally that would take place to continue challenging the election results. The rally was initially organized by Women for America First, who received a permit for an event of 5,000 people. Though as support and awareness increased significantly, the potential crowd grew to 30,000 attendees. Various members from anti-governmental groups added to the cause, such as the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys. Although it was marketed as peaceful, plans of violence and storming the capitol were spread on social media during the rally. As Congress gaveled into session around 1:05 pm, Trump ended his speech and told the crowd to move towards the Capitol. By 2:00 pm around 2,500 protesters were inside the Capitol. From this point on, violence erupted as protesters broke into rooms throughout the building, destroyed property, and assaulted police officers, causing more than $30 million in damage. Authorities ordered the National Guard to the Capitol and wrested control from the mob at 9:00 pm. The victory of Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election was later announced. In the past year, there have been over 725 arrests of individuals involved in the breach of the Capitol and over 140 accounts of assault against police officers.

Watch this video to see footage inside the Capitol and what it looked like to be on the scene.

This map helps to give context to the site of the rally and the Capitol's location. This creates a better geogographical undestanding of the route that protesters took to get to the Capitol.

For more information about the events leading up to the attack, watch this video that shows a visual timeline of the day.

What were the experiences of men and women during the attack?

The contrast in experiences of men and women before, during, and after the January 6^th attack on the Capitol reveal the gendered lens that Americans look through in regard to women and violence. Before the raid, women had a large role in contributing to groups that took part in the violent activities. In the right-wing extremist groups, women act in “roles that are specifically designated for [them] including 'mothering' the group (in both the literal and figurative sense), providing sexual gratification to male members, and participating in violence themselves”. Women were not resistant to helping support the cause nor ignorant of the actions of the right-wing groups. Giving up their agency by providing their bodies as assistance shows that they will support the men whether they lose some of their control or not in the process.

The vast support of the January 6^th attack came from white supporters. White men and women alike rallied together more frequently than other races. The difference between the Democratic and Republican parties can be shown through the attack through “the stark contrast between the nearly all white composition of the insurgent Trump supporters on January 6th with the more diverse racial and ethnic composition of #BlackLivesMatter protests illustrates the increasingly large chasm between the two major parties on this dimension”. The vast differences between the supporters of an uprising for a right-wing president versus the contributors to a cause for racial justice reveals the drastically different perspectives of Americans. This racial divide between supporters of right-wing extremist groups and other political movements in recent US history shows the potentially biased perspective of individuals involved in these campaigns.

While the movement originally had peaceful intentions, the violence overtook the public conscience following January 6th. Whether it be from men or women, “What will be remembered from that day, unfortunately, are pictures of a Florida man holding Speaker Pelosi’s lectern, the rebel flag, police officers being assaulted, a woman being shot, and a man sitting in Speaker Pelosi’s chair looking at her email”. From the quote above, mostly men are reported on as the primary perpetrators of the attack. The only woman referenced is a casualty. Otherwise, it remembers the events because of various men’s violent activities. The article paints the situation as if women were not contributors to the violence. The “peaceful nature” that is normally depicted about women can not be applied through their role in the raid. Stories emerged after the fact on different women like “Rachel Powell (aka the “Pink Hat Lady” or “Bullhorn Lady”) [who] smashed a window of the Capitol with a pipe and yelled instructions to other insurrectionists through a bullhorn. An FBI raid of her home and car found numerous “go bags” loaded with ammunition for her registered AK-47, shooting targets with written slogans like “guns don’t kill people, I do,” throwing stars, knives, lighters, zip ties, duct tape, rope, and a tarp. Two other Pennsylvania women, Dawn Bancroft and Diana Santos-Smith, were arrested and charged after the FBI investigated a selfie video taken by Bancroft of the two inside the Capitol on Jan. 6, claiming they were there “looking” for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ‘to shoot her in the friggin’ brain’”. It is evident through stories such as these that women have the potential for just as much violence as men. Although they did have a large role in the conflict, their stories are largely ignored or disregarded. Most women that attended the raid have been acquitted by law enforcement and faced no serious consequences for their actions. This shows a potentially massive oversight by the government in disregarding the contribution women of to organized domestic violence such as this attack. As shown continuously through discussions surrounding women and violence, women seem to get away with inciting conflict on much larger scale than men. Whether this is due to white privilege or their social status as women, the lack of attention to ladies after the January 6^th attack reveals how loosely the capacity for violence is taken from a woman.

What did the power dynamics look like during on January 6th?

Symbols of white supremacy and male power dominated much of the power dynamics and imagery pervasive throughout the events of January 6. Male protesters created a hyper masculine image for themselves by donning military gear, exposing their bare chests, and screaming misogynistic phrases directed at female Congress members. Their decision to wear pseudo-military and law enforcement gear not only demonstrated group membership, but these uniforms are also the physical embodiment of the state's power, weaponry, and monopoly on the legitimate threat of violence. In demonstrating their uncontrollable power, protesters went as far as to destroy and vandalize objects within the Capitol, either to send a message or simply to destroy. Some of the targets of their violence were gendered, such as books about influential political women or possessions of current members of Congress, such as the office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. This desire to break objects and cause disorder plays into male protesters' goal of portraying power and the fear that they feel should be associated going against their political wishes. The 2020 presidential election and its aftermath provides important context for this power structure. Former President Trump created a narrative amongst his followers that they must overturn the election and to stop Speaker Pelosi and other Congress members from confirming the election results. Supporters of Trump believed that they were tasked personally with returning the most powerful position in the United States to Trump. Speaker Pelosi was portrayed, through Trump's various tweets and speeches, as one of the barriers preventing his return to his rightful position; therefore, protesters viewed her as a target and the symbol of their discontent with their political rivals.

A significant portion of their anger was focused at prominent female political leaders as these women are clearly transgressing against patriarchal standards by daring to participate in politics, a sphere traditionally dominated by straight white males. There was a clear idea of white male superiority over everyone else during this attack. Male protesters not only wanted to show their dominance by breaking into the Capitol but also had intentions of physically restraining those who they deemed to be their inferiors. For example, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other prominent female leaders faced multiple threats of physical danger, as recordings showed protesters entering offices with zip ties and handcuffs. These attacks were undoubtedly partisan in nature, but also gender-based as Speaker Pelosi became an easy target due to her gender. She is a prime example of what toxic masculinity within these right-wing movements abhors. She is the first woman to ever hold the position of Speaker of the House and therefore, can be viewed as “stealing” the position from a rightful man. Speaker Pelosi represents, for many, the potential loss of power and status amongst men in a modern world. A clear depiction of this power dynamic comes from a photo taken of a smiling protester, Richard Barnett, sitting in Speaker Pelosi’s chair with his feet up on her desk. This shows a feeling of superiority and entitlement that he is taking back a position of power and putting women in their metaphorical place by violating and destroying her work space. The attack on the Capitol was clearly committed not only to interfere with the election confirmation process, but also sought to maintain the status quo and a world where men keep their power.

What is a visual representation of the January 6th attack on the Capitol?

What are three key takeaways?

Growing Number of Women in Far Right Groups

With the number of women participating in far-right groups growing, data and research should continue to take gender into account to better understand the dynamics of this lens at play. Through a proper understanding of motives, policymakers can hope to better target potentially violent groups and reduce the detrimental effects that these groups can cause. As these women have also proved to be some of the most violent contributors to extremist causes, creating policies designated to quell the effects of such far-right groups can help to deter violence from both men and women equally. Additionally, anti-corruption and accountability policies within the government can be prioritized in order to reduce the incitement domestic terrorism that is encouraging movements by these far-right women such as those in Women for America First.

Lack of Media to Women

As revealed through the January 6th attack, media outlets often keep women out of focus during times of violence, especially when they are the perpetrators. This lack of female representation leads to prejudice and assumptions that can change how people perceive certain situations like January 6th. Additionally, taking time to counteract the negative view of global women's agency can boost the position of women in society and break down potential stigmas that may prevent others from seeing them as capable. By turning some of the media attention onto women, women's issues to be seen throughout the world with the same importance as mainstream issues. Empowerment falls behind due to the lack of attention given towards women's capabilities, often viewing them as complacent or passive actors. By actively representing women's agency in the media, policymakers can address the flawed public perception of women's power.

FBI's Gendered Investigations

Looking at men as the only threat in amongst those involved in the January 6th attack causes potentially massive oversights by government agencies. Women have contributed greatly to domestic terrorism in extremist groups, and ignoring their contribution is an issue that the government should improve on addressing. By reassessing how agencies like the FBI conduct investigations into cases of domestic terrorism and other organized violence, we can avoid leaving certain perpetrators unaddressed. Looking at anti-corruption policies will push the FBI to understand their mistakes in this realm and work to counteract this issue in the future. Overall, addressing corruption and the transparency of investigations will allow policymakers to understand and address the issues that can be found from the attack on the Capitol as well as the unbalanced response.

What are the citations used?

Articles

Jones, Robert C. “Scholars Examine the Mob Mentality.” University of Miami News and Events, 27 Feb. 2022, https://news.miami.edu/stories/2021/01/scholars- examine-the-mob-mentality.html.
Krook , Mona Lena. “Misogyny in the Capitol: Among the Insurrectionists, a Lot of Angry Men Who Don't like Women.” The Conversation, 1 Sept. 2021, https://theconversation.com/misogyny-in-the-capitol-among-the-insurrectionists-a-lot-of-angry-men-who-dont-like-women-153068.
Santucci, Julia, et al. “Gender and Right-Wing Extremism in America: Why Understanding Women's Roles Is Key to Preventing Future Acts of Domestic Terrorism.” Just Security, 14 July 2021, http://www.justsecurity.org/75068/gender-and-right-wing-extremism-in-america-why-understanding-womens-roles- is-key-to-preventing-future-acts-of-domestic-terrorism/#:~:text=Mounting%20evidence%20from%20the%20Jan.%206%2C%202021%20insurrection.
“The Larger Forces behind the January 6, 2021 Insurrection.” Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, 7 Jan. 2021, https://watson.brown.edu/research/2021/larger-forces-behind-january-6-2021-insurrection.
“2021 United States Capitol Attack.” Wikipedia, 9 June 2021, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_United_States_Capitol_attack.

Images

Brent Stirton. Getty Images. "Insurrectionists inside the Capitol on Jan. 6." https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2021/04/republican-party-sympathize-capitol- insurrection.html
Brent Stirton. Getty Images. "Supporters of President Donald Trump protest inside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021." https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national- security/women-put-friendly-face-jan-6-attack-extremism-research-argues-new-stu-rcna25831
Chappell, Bill. “Man Who Posed for Photos Sitting at a Desk in Pelosi's Office Has Been Arrested.” NPR, NPR, 8 Jan. 2021, https://www.npr.org/sections/insurrection-at-the-capitol/2021/01/08/954940681/man-who-posed-for-photos-sitting-at-desk-in-pelosis-office-has-been- arrested.
Digital Image. https://www.travelcaffeine.com/us-capitol-building-tour-tips-review/
Finian Cunnigham. "The Deep State and the history of the FBI: Federal Blackmail Investigation."https://www.sott.net/article/377991-The-Deep-State-and-the-history-of-the-FBI-Federal-Blackmail-Investigation
NBCNews, director. Video Of Capitol Riot Shown During First Jan. 6 Committee Hearing. YouTube, YouTube, 27 July 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=DXnHIJkZZAs. Accessed 27 Apr. 2022.
Riking16, director. A Visual Timeline on How the Attack on Capitol Hill Unfolded. YouTube, YouTube, 10 Jan. 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=NmwfMW3Tf2I. Accessed 27 Apr. 2022.
SabrangIndia. "Gender Bias in Media Has a Chilling Effect on Free Speech and Opinion." https://www.sabrangindia.in/article/gender-bias-media-has-chilling- effect-free-speech-and-opinion
Team, The Visual Journalism. “Capitol Riots: A Visual Guide to the Storming of Congress.” BBC News, BBC, 7 Jan. 2021, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us- canada-55575260.

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse