On the 6th of January, a large mob of Trump supporters stormed the United States capitol building, trespassing A-grade security, protesting, vandalizing, and stealing from the Capitol, with the intentions to disrupt the vote count going on in the Senate’s chambers. This is an overview of the entire incident and the repercussions faced by the departing United States president.
Starting in December, Trump repeatedly encouraged his supporters on Twitter to show up for a “big protest” in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6, the day that Congress accepted the Electoral College votes. Why January 6th? This was the day that Congress would hold a joint session to count all the votes of the electoral college. Finally, the day came, where Donald Trump held a rally, rallying them. He stated told his followers "We’re going to walk down to the Capitol, and we’re going to cheer on our brave senators, and congressmen and women “We’re probably not going to be cheering so much for some of them because you’ll never take back our country with weakness. You have to show strength, and you have to be strong." This served as precedence to prove that he was the one responsible for the incitation of these riots. This incited the Trump supporters to march up to the Capitol building. As mobs of people chanted pro right slogans like, Make America Great Again, Trump 2020, and F**k Antifa, waved banners, posters with confederate American symbols, and the Trump 2020 logo. At 1.00 p.m., the electorate count started to proceed.
By this time, police perimeters had been set up around all entrances and exits of the building. As Protesters got violent, they attacked officers and reporters from the Capitol Police; erected gallows on the grounds of the Capitol; and tried to find lawmakers to take hostage and hurt. They chanted "Hang Mike Pence" presumably because of his opposition to refusing the electoral vote count in favor of their political opponent, Joe Biden.
About 2 hours later, protesters were able to break into the building via various entrances, immediately signaling the joint session to be delayed, they stormed the halls and offices of the US Capitol. The MAGA mob even tried to break into the Senate chambers where the joint session was taking place. Due to this interruption, the meeting was paused, all members of that meeting were escorted to a secret, undisclosed place, where all members were kept safe till the Capitol was cleared out. Violence and vandalism seized the building and the values that it stood for. Many were found carrying loaded arms and explosives were also discovered. Thankfully, the Washington bomb squad diffused the pre-detonated bombs. Due to the chaos that had been unleashed inside this monument, police were found to withdraw their guns against these extremists, and because of the incidents taking place, a total of 5 people died. Although the horde of violent Trump supporters had failed to overturn most of the electoral college vote in favor of Joe Biden, they did leave a scar on American democracy. The rally, which had become a march, had become a violent crowd, aimed at escaping democracy's rites. As the trespassing went on, the president sat watching the riots live from his office’s television and many inside sources too claimed that he wasn’t taking any phone calls from senators till 4.22 P.M. after which he issued a video requesting the mob groups to leave the building peacefully, nonetheless praising their efforts and claiming that their efforts, although in vain, were commendable to help combat the supposed ‘Election fraud’. This led to a temporary 12-hour ban of all of Trump’s social-media accounts
The US National Guard were deployed to handle this problem, wherein the original order of Trump refusing to deploy them, was overruled by his second-in-command, Mike Pence. Police along with the Metropolitan support force had been situated to remove all trespassers. It took over three hours for police to retake control of the Capitol, using riot gear, shields, and batons, resulting in a 6 p.m. curfew to be issued in DC.
Responses to the incident and it’s repercussions
Trump released a video on 7th January condemning the violence, furthermore, accepting a peaceful transition of power. Heavy criticism and backlash were faced by the man and his administration. He was blocked from Twitter and other social media websites for 1 hours temporarily, but further incitation and fraudulent election complaints led to a permanent ban from Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. On January 11th, a single article of impeachment was filed against Trump, on the pretext of ‘Incitement of Insurrection’, leading to his 2nd Impeachment on 13th January 2021.
There was backlash all over the globe towards this terrorist attack against democracy. Nations disagreed and condemned the Trump administration, the instigators of the violent attack, and the foolish mob, reiterating the fact that it was a heavy stain on America’s long history of propagating democratic ideas around the world. Although members of the republican party and the millions of Trump followers still question the legitimacy of the electoral victory of Joe Biden, the fire they helped set has become too big to smother easily. Trump supporters in the US now believe they have taken the country from them. If they rule by coercion, fraud, or regulation, the only appropriate outcome to them, is their rule.
Now That It's Ended
Trump has left the White House, and the end of his tenure has been chaotic and infamously historic. As he leaves, he confirms a split in the Republic Party and the possible formation of a 'Patriot Party', consisting of those supporting him. In his Farewell speech, he concludes it has been an honour to serve his nation, and that he'll be back, in some form.
~ Amey Parekh