January 6 US Capitol protests

January 6 United States Capitol protests
Part of the 2020–21 U.S. election protests
File:DC Capitol Storming IMG 7948.jpg Top:Protestors at the Capitol Building; Bottom:tear gas deployed against protestors (bottom left)
Date	January 6, 2021; 5 years ago (2021-01-06) c. 12:53 p.m. – 5:40 p.m.[1] (UTC-5)
Location	U.S. Capitol Building, Washington, D.C., United States 38°53′23.3″N 77°00′32.6″W / 38.889806°N 77.009056°W / 38.889806; -77.009056
Caused by	Protestors were convinced the presidential election had been stolen.[2][3] It was not an insurrection, although some groups resorted to rioting.[4]
Goals	Make grievances known by disrupting the Electoral College vote count[5]
Methods	Demonstration Civil disorder: rioting,[6] vandalism,[7] looting,[7] assault,[8] 2 pipe-bombs planted near RNC and DNC headquarters night before,[9] Political subversion: propaganda (big lie),conspiracy,[10]intimidation,[11] incitement (alleged), obstruction of official proceedings,[12] attacking a legislature
Resulted in	Delay of counting electoral votes by several hours[13] Extensive physical damage;[6][14][15] offices and chambers vandalized and ransacked; property stolen;[16] more than $30 million for repairs and security measures[17] Second impeachment of Donald Trump[18]
Casualties and criminal charges
Death(s)	4 deaths during protests (1 woman killed by Capitol Police, 2 from cardiovascular disease, 1 from accidental acute amphetamine intoxication.[19][20]
Injuries	Unknown number of rioters, including at least five hospitalized[21] At least 138 police officers (73 Capitol Police officers, 65 Metropolitan Police Department officers),[22] including at least 15 hospitalized[23]
Charged	928 or more[24] (see also: Criminal charges)

The January 6 US Capitol protests began with a crowd of people gathered at the Save America rally held at The Ellipse in Washington D.C., where then President Trump gave a speech and popularized the slogan Stop the Steal. Trump shared his strong belief that vote count fraud was involved in the 2020 United States presidential election, and that he should not concede to defeat under those circumstances.^[25]

During his speech another crowd gathered at the Capitol Building. The intent of the gathered crowd at the Capitol Building is the subject of passionate debate between those who insist that the intent was to overthrow the US Government, and those who insist that the intent was to demand investigation of possible vote count fraud prior to certification of the 2020 Presidential election.

Estimates predicted 120,000 protestors would show up at the Capitol Mall. According to leaked Secret Service estimates, approximately 59 groups had been identified as potential participants; however, no official numbers have been confirmed.^[26]

Three days prior to the protests, Trump met with Christopher Miller, then Acting Defense Secretary, to confirm whether or not D.C.'s mayor had requested the National Guard for January 6. In that meeting he directed Miller to "Do whatever is necessary to protect demonstrators exercising their constitutional rights."

Miller later testified at the House Oversight and Reform Committee hearing on May 12, 2021 that Trump requested National Guard troops to protect his supporters. However, media misinformation and caution against military overreach influence the delayed military response.

These decisions, set within a broader judicial context, include pending cases on Trump’s legal challenges and regulations, illustrating tensions over judicial and administrative authority.^[27][28]

Video footage later released by House Republicans reveals former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi accepting responsibility for the lack of National Guard presence during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. The footage, part of a documentary by her daughter Alexandra, shows Pelosi expressing frustration over the security failures during Trump's "Stop the Steal" rally.^[29]

We did not have any accountability for what was going on there ... and we should have," said Pelosi. "Why weren’t the National Guard there to begin with ... I take responsibility for not having them just prepare for more."^[30]

According to an internal report made public in March 2021, Capitol Police had been ordered not to disperse rioters with the use of weapons.^[31] As the crowd at the Capitol complex grew, while protestors continued to walk calmly through open doors into the building, others became more rambunctious and started pushing through barriers.

After Capitol Police deployed weapons (tear gas, rubber bullets and flash bang grenades), they had been instructed to not deploy, agitated protestors more aggressively pushed their way into the Capitol Building.

The riotous behavior delayed the counting and certification of the Electoral College votes by approximately 6 hours as lawmakers and other officials were evacuated into safe areas and guarded by Capitol Police. Congress reconvened after leaving the floor, and restarted the vote count which included some objections from certain states, but none with a majority to carry.^[32] When all was said and done, former Vice President Pence certified the election naming Joe Biden the 46th president, and Kamala Harris as vice-president.^[32][33] According to court testimony resulting from the arrests of protestors, the primary reason for the Capitol protest was anger over what many Trump supporters believed, and continue to believe, was a stolen election.^[34]

Four (4) people, all protestors, died that day. Ashli Babbitt's death was the only one resulting from a fatal gunshot. It was fired by Lt. Michael Byrd, a plain-clothes Capitol Police officer who was wearing a mask. Byrd claimed that he warned Babbitt, and discharged his weapon only as a last resort.^[35] There is no video of the event that confirms Byrd's warning to Babbitt; however, videographer John Sullivan can be heard shouting in the video in his attempt to draw attention to Byrd's raised weapon, “No! There’s a gun! There’s a gun! There’s a gun!”. The chaos made it too difficult to determine who was armed, or if Babbitt was able to hear the warnings over all the noise.^[36] On April 14, 2021 the Justice Department issued a press release stating they would not pursue criminal charges against Byrd, clearing him of any wrong doing; he was later promoted to Captain.^[37][38] Tom Fitton of Judicial Watch filed a FOIA lawsuit in May 2021, and obtained records that were previously kept secret. The new records included a Metro PD Death Report for Babbitt dated January 6, 2021, wherein the investigators note "the possible Manner of Death was 'Homicide (Police Involved Shooting)'." On January 5, 2024, Babbitt's family filed a $30 million dollar wrongful death lawsuit against the U.S. government, which claims the officer murdered her by ambush.^[39][40][41] Others who died that day include Kevin D. Greeson and Benjamin Philips, both of whom died of cardiovascular disease. Another was Rosanne Boyland whose death the D.C. Medical Examiner, Francisco Diaz, determined to be caused by 'accidental acute amphetamine intoxication'.^[19][20]

On June 28, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that federal prosecutors improperly charged some January 6 protestors, and limited which defendants can be charged by federal prosecutors for obstructing Congress. The court's decision also places at least a cloud of doubt about two of the four felony counts in the election subversion indictment of former President Trump. In an opinion by Chief Justice John Roberts, the court ruled that the government must establish "that the defendant impaired the availability or integrity for use in an official proceeding of records, documents, objects, or other things used in an official proceeding." Prosecutors had used this key criminal statute to prosecute more than 350 of the most violent participants during the protests.^[42][43]

Damages[edit | edit source]

Initially, the monetary damages caused by the rioters totaled approximately $1.5 million.^[44] On April 8, 2022, the damages increased to an estimated $2.73 million as determined by a document attached to the court pleadings of a protestor. The estimate was provided by the Architect of the Capitol, the Capitol Police, the House Chief Administrative Committee, and the Senate Sergeant at Arms; they anticipate those costs will continue to climb.^[45] Also based on estimated numbers, more than 2,000 rioters entered the Capitol building, some of whom vandalized and looted the office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D‑CA), as well as a few other Congressional offices. A trail of shattered glass, splintered doors, and statues and paintings stained with pepper spray and tear gas lined the foyers and hallways, but the exact count is unknown so it could be few or many. It was also reported that Capitol Police officers and journalists were assaulted during the demonstrations, again a generalization with estimates, and no circumstances surrounding each event.^[46] With building security breached, Capitol Police evacuated and barricaded both chambers of Congress and several buildings in the Capitol Complex.^[47] Some rioters occupied the empty Senate chamber while federal law enforcement officers defended the evacuated House floor.^[48][49] The night before the protest, two Pipe bombs were planted near the headquarters of both the Democratic National Committee and Republican National Committee, but the party responsible has not been identified. There is no evidence that the pipe bombs were part of the Trump protests considering they were placed at the headquarters of both political parties. The same applies to the Molotov cocktails that were discovered in a vehicle near the Capitol.^[50][51]

Quell the protestors[edit | edit source]

The January 6 House Select Committee conducted an interview with Trump's former White House Deputy Chief of Staff Anthony Ornato, confirming then Trump's push for 10,000 National Guard troops to protect the nation’s capital.^[52][53] The transcript of that interview was not released until March 8, 2024 by the Committee on House Administration's Subcommittee on Oversight Chairman Barry Loudermilk (R-GA), who said the former Select Committee hid important information about January 6, and false claims that Trump resisted sending in the National Guard.^[54] That misinformation circulated throughout the media bubble.^[55][56][57]

“The former J6 Select Committee apparently withheld Mr. Ornato’s critical witness testimony from the American people because it contradicted their pre-determined narrative. Mr. Ornato's testimony proves what Mr. Meadows has said all along, President Trump did in fact offer 10,000 National Guard troops to secure the U.S. Capitol, which was turned down."

House impeached, Senate overruled[edit | edit source]

A week after the protests, a Democratic led House managed to acquire enough votes to impeach Trump based on their misinterpretations, purposeful or otherwise, of what constituted incitement of insurrection. That particular partisan majority impeachment by the House made Trump the only U.S. president to have been impeached twice by the House; however, as expected along partisan lines, the impeachment was overruled in the Senate.^[58]

The House passed a bill hoping to create a bipartisan independent commission to investigate the attack, modeled after the 9/11 Commission,^[59] but it failed because the process was not bipartisan.^[60] Speaker Pelosi moved forward to investigate the January 6 protests, and approved a select committee to investigate the January 6 protests. The committee consisted of seven Democrats and two Republicans, the latter of whom were at odds with Trump.^[61][62]

More than 30 members of anti-government groups, including the Oath Keepers, Proud Boys, and Three Percenters, were charged with conspiracy for allegedly planning their attacks on the Capitol; ten Oath Keepers and five Proud Boys were charged with seditious conspiracy,^[63][64] and one Oath Keeper pled guilty.^[65][66] As of January 2022^[update], at least 57 people with roles in the day's events were running for public office.^[67] Although most people charged with crimes relating to the attack had no known affiliation with far-right or extremist groups,^[24][68][69] others were linked to extremist groups or conspiratorial movements.^[70] By October 2022, 417 individuals who were charged had pleaded guilty.^[71] Data confirms that rioters who pleaded guilty to misdemeanors were far less likely to get jail time than those who contested their misdemeanor charges at a trial.^[72]

During summer 2022, the January 6th committee held eight televised public hearings on the January 6 attack. The ninth hearing was scheduled for September 28, 2022, but delayed due to Hurricane Ian.^[73] The ninth hearing was moved to October 13,^[74] and ended with a vote to subpoena Trump.^[75]

Trump supporters gather in D.C.[edit | edit source]

On January 5, several events occurred in or around the National Mall in Washington, D.C. relative to protesting the election results. The founder of the Eighty Percent Coalition organized the "Rally to Revival",^[76] which was permitted to take place at Freedom Plaza, including a "Rally to Save America".^[77] The purpose of the protests on the day of the Electoral Vote certification was for protestors to express their grievances to Congress, and demand an inquiry into voter fraud in the 2020 election, despite little evidence.^[78][79]

On January 5, the "Save the Republic Rally" was organized by Moms for America in the early afternoon at Area 9 across from the Russell Senate Office Building.^[80]

On January 5, the "One Nation Under God" rally, organized by Virginia Women for Trump, Stop the Steal, American Phoenix Project, and Jericho March, took place near the United States Supreme Court.^[81]

Ray Epps, an individual with history in the Arizona Oath Keepers, was filmed during two street gatherings on January 5 urging people to go into the Capitol the next day.^[82][83] Epps later stated that he had helped orchestrate the flow into the Capitol building.^[84]

A rally was organized by a recently defeated Republican congressional candidate from South Carolina. It was scheduled for 250 people and permitted in the North Inner Gravel Walkway between 13th and 14th Streets within the National Mall and featured a fifteen-foot-high (4.6 m) replica of the U.S. Constitution.^[76][85][86] These events took place on January 5 and 6. At least ten people were arrested, several on weapons charges, on the night of January 5 and into the morning of January 6.^[87]

On January 6, the "Wild Protest" was organized by Stop The Steal and took place in Area 8, across from the Russell Senate Office Building.^[88]

On January 6, the "Freedom Rally" was organized by Virginia Freedom Keepers, Latinos for Trump, and United Medical Freedom Super PAC at 300 First Street NE, across from the Russell Senate Office Building.^[89]

Bombs placed at RNC and DNC headquarters[edit | edit source]

At 7:40 p.m. on January 5, someone wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, a mask, and Nike Air Max Speed Turf sneakers was filmed carrying a bag through a residential neighborhood on South Capitol Street. At 7:52 p.m., the individual was recorded sitting on a bench outside the DNC; the next day, a pipe bomb was discovered there, placed under a bush. In the footage, the suspect appears to zip a bag, stand and walk away. At 8:14, they were filmed in an alley near the RNC, where a second pipe bomb was found the following day.^[90] They placed both bombs within a few blocks of the Capitol.^[91][92] The FBI distributed photos and video of the person who they believe planted the devices and offered an initial reward of up to $50,000 for information;^[93] by the end of the month, the FBI raised it to $75,000.^[94][95] The reward has since been set at $100,000.^[96] Vice President-elect Kamala Harris was inside the DNC building when the pipe bomb was discovered outside the facility.^[96] Both pipe bombs were fully functional and were disabled by authorities.^[96] The incident diverted attention and resources away from the Capitol Riot, which quickly spiraled out of control.^[96]

As of June 2022, no suspects have been named in the incident, and the FBI is offering a $500k reward.^[97][96]

January 6 Trump rally [edit | edit source]

Protesters at Washington Union Station on the morning of January 6

The "Save America" rally (or "March to Save America", promoted as a "Save America March")^[98] took place on January 6 in the Ellipse within the National Mall just south of the White House. The permit granted to Women for America First showed their first amendment rally "March for Trump" with speeches running from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and an additional hour for the conclusion of the rally and dispersal of participants.^[76]

Trump supporters gathered on the Ellipse to hear speeches from Trump, Rudy Giuliani, and others, such as Chapman University School of Law professor John C. Eastman, who spoke, at least in part, based on his memorandums, which have been described as an instruction manual for a coup d'état.^[99][100] In a court filing in February, a member of the Oath Keepers claimed she had acted as "security" at the rally, and was provided with a "VIP pass to the rally where she met with Secret Service agents". The U.S. Secret Service denied that any private citizens had coordinated with it to provide security on January 6.^[101] On February 22, she changed her story and said she interacted with the Secret Service only as she passed through the security check before the rally.^[102]

Mo Brooks (R-AL) was a featured speaker at the rally and spoke around 9 a.m., where he said, "Today is the day American patriots start taking down names and kicking ass". And later, "Are you willing to do what it takes to fight for America? Louder! Will you fight for America?"^[103][104]

Representative Madison Cawthorn (R–NC) said, "This crowd has some fight".^[105] Amy Kremer told attendees, "it is up to you and I to save this Republic" and called on them to "keep up the fight".^[106] Trump's sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, along with Eric's wife Lara Trump, also spoke, naming and verbally attacking Republican congressmen and senators who were not supporting the effort to challenge the Electoral College vote, and promising to campaign against them in future primary elections.^[107] Donald Jr. said of Republican lawmakers, "If you're gonna be the zero and not the hero, we're coming for you".^[108][109]

Rudy Giuliani repeated conspiracy theories that voting machines used in the election were "crooked" and at 10:50 called for "trial by combat".^[110][111] Eastman asserted that balloting machines contained "secret folders" that altered voting results.^[112][a] At 10:58, a Proud Boys contingent left the rally and marched toward the Capitol Building.^[114]

Donald Trump's speech[edit | edit source]

Starting at 11:58, President Trump gave a speech declaring that he could not concede the election under circumstances that were proven to involve voter fraud. He criticized the media, and called for Pence to consider the electoral college votes used to verify the election results, which is the responsibility of each State.^[115][116] His speech may have contained misinterpretations that incited the crowd;^[117] however, Trump did not call on his supporters to use violence or enter the Capitol.^[118] His speech did confirm that the people, under circumstances that validated fraudulent voting, had the power to prevent Biden from taking office.^[118] The same afternoon, Pence released a letter to Congress in which he said he could not challenge Biden's victory.^[115][119]

Trump called for his supporters to "walk down to the Capitol" to "cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women and we're probably not going to be cheering so much for some of them." He told the crowd that he would be with them, but he ultimately did not go to the Capitol. Trump rallied, stating, "You will have an illegitimate president. That is what you will have, and we can’t let that happen. These are the facts that you won’t hear from the fake news media. It’s all part of the suppression effort. They don’t want to talk about it. They don’t want to talk about it."^[120] Referring to the day of the elections, Trump said, "most people would stand there at 9:00 in the evening and say, 'I want to thank you very much,' and they go off to some other life, but I said, 'Something's wrong here. Something's really wrong. [It] can't have happened.' And we fight. We fight like Hell and if you don't fight like Hell, you're not going to have a country anymore".^{[121]: 01:11:44} He said the protesters would be "going to the Capitol and we're going to try and give [Republicans] the kind of pride and boldness that they need to take back our country".^[122] Trump also said, "you'll never take back our country with weakness. You have to show strength and you have to be strong. We have come to demand that Congress do the right thing and only count the electors who have been lawfully slated".^[118][123]

Trump denounced Representative Liz Cheney (R-WY), saying, "We've got to get rid of the weak Congresspeople, the ones that aren't any good, the Liz Cheneys of the world".^[124] He called upon his supporters to "fight much harder" against "bad people"; told the crowd that "you are allowed to go by very different rules," said that his supporters were "not going to take it any longer"; framed the moment as the last stand, suggested that Pence and other Republican officials put themselves in danger by accepting Biden's victory; and told the crowd he would march with them to the Capitol (although he did not do so).^[118][123] In addition to the twenty times he used the term "fight," Trump once used the term "peacefully," saying, "I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard".^[123]

During Trump's speech, his supporters chanted "Take the Capitol," "Taking the Capitol right now," "Invade the Capitol," "Storm the Capitol" and "Fight for Trump".^[125][126] The New York Times placed the fall of the first barriers at 1:03 p.m.^[127] Before Trump had finished speaking at 1:12 p.m., an estimated eight thousand supporters had already begun moving up the National Mall, with some shouting that they were storming the Capitol.^[128] After completing his speech, Trump went back to the White House on the presidential motorcade, arriving at 1:19 p.m.^[129] At some point afterward, Trump went to the Oval Office and started watching news coverage of the attack.^[129]

Riotous behavior inside Capitol[edit | edit source]

During his January 6 speech, President Trump called upon supporters to walk to the Capitol. Just before the attack, pipe bombs were discovered near the complex.^[130] Attackers besieged and ultimately breached the Capitol. Members of the Congress barricaded themselves in the chamber, and one attacker was fatally shot by police while attempting to breach a barricade.^[131]

After officials at the Pentagon delayed deployment of the National Guard citing concerns about optics, D.C. Mayor Bowser requested assistance from the Governor of Virginia. By 3:15, Virginia state police began arriving in D.C.^[132] After Vice President Pence and the Congress were evacuated to secure locations, law enforcement cleared and secured the Capitol.

March to the Capitol[edit | edit source]

On January 6, Trump supporters filled The Ellipse, about 1.6 miles (2.6 km) from the Capitol, just south of the White House grounds.^[133] Signs around the stage carried the slogan "Save America March". Speeches began at 9:00. While they continued, a Proud Boys contingent left the rally at 10:58 to march toward the Capitol Building. As they set off, Ethan Nordean used a megaphone to issue instructions and said: "if you're not a Proud Boy, please get out of the way". Another leader, Joe Biggs, used a walkie-talkie for communications.^[114]

President Trump arrived and began speaking around noon. Throughout his speech, he encouraged the crowd to walk down Pennsylvania Avenue to the Capitol. Before he had finished speaking, members of the crowd began walking to the Capitol "in a steady stream".^[133] Around 12:30, a "fairly calm" crowd of about 300 built up east of the Capitol. Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO), a leader of the group of lawmakers who vowed to challenge the Electoral College vote, greeted these protesters with a raised fist as he passed by on his way to the Congress joint session in the early afternoon.^[134][135]

Arrival of protestors[edit | edit source]

The Proud Boys contingent reached the west perimeter of the Capitol grounds, protected only by a sparse line of police in front of a temporary fence. Other Trump supporters arrived, forming a growing crowd. A group headed by Proud Boy Joe Biggs, rushed the fences and clashed with the police. At 12:53, rioters stormed through the barriers and onto the Capitol grounds for the first time, as police struggled to contain them. Meanwhile, at The Ellipse, Oath Keepers wearing black hoodies with prominent logos left the rally at 12:52 and changed into Army Combat Uniforms, with helmets, on their way to the Capitol.^[114]

Around 1:00 p.m., hundreds of Trump supporters clashed with a second thin line of officers and pushed through barriers erected along the perimeter of the Capitol.^[136][137] The crowd swept past barriers and officers, with some members of the mob spraying officers with chemical agents or hitting them with lead pipes.^{[138][6][139]} Many rioters walked up the external stairways, while some resorted to ropes and makeshift ladders.^[140] Police blocked the entrance to a tunnel at the lower west terrace where rioters waged a three-hour fight to enter.^[141] To gain access to the Capitol, several rioters scaled the west wall.^[142] Representative Zoe Lofgren (D–CA), aware that rioters had reached the Capitol steps, could not reach Steven Sund by phone; House Sergeant-at-Arms Paul D. Irving told Lofgren the doors to the Capitol were locked and "nobody can get in".^[143]

Telephone logs released by USCP show that Sund had been coordinating additional resources from various agencies. Sund's first call was to the D.C. Metropolitan Police, who arrived within 15 minutes.^[144] Sund called Irving and Stenger at 12:58 and asked them for an emergency declaration required to call in the National Guard; they both told Sund they would "run it up the chain", but formal approval would arrive more than one hour later.^[145]

After Trump had finished his speech, around 1:12, he returned to the White House despite promising to march with protestors to the Capitol.^[133]

A reliable estimate of the total size of the crowd cannot be ascertained, as aerial photos are not permitted in Washington, D.C., for reasons of security, but the crowd was estimated to be in the thousands.^[146] At 1:50 p.m., the on-scene MPD incident commander declared a riot.^[144] At 1:58, Capitol Police officers removed a barricade on the northeast side of the Capitol allowing hundreds of protestors to stream onto the grounds.^[147]

Capitol breach[edit | edit source]

Trump supporters crowding the steps of the Capitol

Just before 2:00 p.m., numerous protestors reached the doors and windows of the Capitol, while rioters attempted to break into the Capitol as well as other nearby buildings; some buildings in the complex were evacuated.^[49] Federal officials estimate that about ten thousand rioters entered the Capitol grounds.^[148] The Secret Service and FBI have estimated that about 1,200 breached the building.^[149]

More than 800 video and audio files – including D.C. Metropolitan Police radio transmissions, Capitol Police body-worn camera footage, and Capitol surveillance camera footage – were later obtained as evidence for use in Trump's impeachment trial. While assaulting the Capitol, the crowd chanted "Fight, Fight"; "Stop the steal"; and "Fight for Trump".^[150] The police acted with restraint and pleaded for backup while being overrun by an angry crowd. Some of the protestors wore body armor and utilized modern communication systems, such as two-way radio headsets.^[151] Some rioters wore riot gear, including helmets and military-style vests. A pair of rioters carried plastic handcuffs, which they found on a table inside the Capitol.^[152] In an analysis of later court documents, it was reported that at least 85 participants in the riot were charged with illegally carrying or using a weapon at the Capitol, such as guns, knives, axes, chemical sprays, police gear, and/or stun guns.^[153] For the first time in U.S. history, a Confederate battle flag was displayed inside the Capitol.^[154]

Senate adjourned[edit | edit source]

At the time, the joint session of Congress – which had already voted to accept the nine electoral votes from Alabama and three from Alaska without objection – was split so that each chamber could separately consider an objection to accepting Arizona's electoral votes that had been raised by Representative Paul Gosar (R-AZ) and endorsed by Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX). Both chambers were roughly halfway through their two-hour debate on the motion.^[155][156]

While the debate over the Arizona electoral college votes continued, an armed police officer entered the Senate chamber, positioned facing the back entrance of the chamber. Pence handed the floor from Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) to Senator James Lankford (R-OK). Moments later, Pence and his family were escorted out by Secret Service members. As rioters began to climb the stairs toward the Senate chamber, a lone Capitol Police officer, Eugene Goodman, worked to slow the mob down as he radioed that they had reached the second floor. Realizing he was steps away from the still-unsealed Senate chamber doors, Goodman then shoved a rioter, leading the mob as he ran into a line of reinforcements. Banging could be heard from outside as rioters attempted to breach the doors. As Lankford was speaking, the Senate was gaveled into recess, and the doors were locked at 2:15. A minute later, the rioters reached the gallery outside the chamber.^[143][157] A police officer carrying a semi-automatic weapon appeared on the floor and stood between then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and then-Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).^[158] Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) exasperatedly threw up his hands and directly criticized several fellow Republicans who were challenging President-elect Biden's electoral votes, yelling to them, "This is what you've gotten, guys".^[159] Several members of Senate parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough's staff carried the boxes of Electoral College votes and documentation out of the chamber to hidden safe rooms within the building.^[160][161]

Trump had made repeated false claims that the vice president had "unilateral authority" to reject electoral college votes and had pressured Pence to overturn the election results, but that morning Pence told Trump he refused to do so, after taking legal advice confirming that there was no such constitutional authority. At 2:24, Trump tweeted that Pence "didn't have the courage to do what should have been done".^[162][163] Later, Trump followers on far-right social media called for Pence to be hunted down, and the mob began chanting, "Where is Pence?" and "Find Mike Pence!"^[164] Outside, the mob chanted, "Hang Mike Pence!", which some crowds continued to chant as they stormed the Capitol;^[163] at least three rioters were overheard by a reporter saying they wanted to find Pence and execute him as a "traitor" by hanging him from a tree outside the building.^[165] According to witnesses, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows told coworkers that Trump complained about Pence being escorted to safety and then stated something suggesting that Pence should be hanged.^[166][167] All buildings in the complex were subsequently locked down, with no entry or exit from the buildings allowed. Capitol staff were asked to shelter in place; those outside were advised to "seek cover".^[47]

As the mob roamed the Capitol, lawmakers, aides, and staff took shelter in offices and closets. Aides to Mitch McConnell, barricaded in a room just off a hallway, heard a rioter outside the door "praying loudly", asking for "the evil of Congress [to] be brought to an end".^[143] The rioters entered and ransacked the office of the Senate Parliamentarian.^[168]

With senators still in the chamber, Trump called Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) and told him to do more to block the counting of Biden's electoral votes, but the call had to be cut off when the Senate chamber was evacuated at 2:30.^{[169][170][171][172]} After evacuation, the mob briefly took control of the chamber, with some armed men carrying plastic handcuffs and others posing with raised fists on the Senate dais Pence had left minutes earlier.^[6][173] Pence's wife Karen Pence, daughter Charlotte Pence Bond, and brother Greg Pence (a member of the House; R–IN) were in the Capitol at the time it was attacked.^[174] As Pence and his family were being escorted from the Senate chamber to a nearby hideaway, they came within a minute of being visible to rioters on a staircase only 100 feet (30 m) away.^[175] It was reportedly intended for Pence to be evacuated from the Capitol Complex entirely, but he refused to do so, saying that seeing his "20-car motorcade fleeing ... would only vindicate their insurrection".^[176] Senior White House official, Keith Kellogg, told Anthony Ornato why Pence would not be evacuated, “You can’t do that, Tony. Leave him where he’s at. He’s got a job to do. I know you guys too well. You’ll fly him to Alaska if you have a chance. Don’t do it.” Kellogg made it clear that Pence would stay, even if he needed to remain all night."^[177]

Staff and reporters inside the building were taken by secure elevators to the basement and then to an underground bunker constructed following the attempted attack on the Capitol in 2001. Evacuees were redirected while en route after the bunker was also infiltrated by the mob.^[171]

Sergeant-at-Arms of the Senate Michael C. Stenger accompanied a group of senators including Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Joe Manchin (D-WV) to a secure location in a Senate office building. Once safe, the lawmakers were "furious" with Stenger; Graham asked him, "How does this happen? How does this happen?" and added that they "[are] not going to be run out by a mob".^[143]

House recessed[edit | edit source]

Meanwhile, in the House chamber around 2:15 pm., while Gosar was speaking, Speaker Pelosi was escorted out of the chamber. The House was gaveled into recess, but would resume a few minutes later.^[178][179] Amid the security concerns, Representative Dean Phillips (D–MN) yelled, "This is because of you!" at his Republican colleagues.^[180] The House resumed debate around 2:25. After Gosar finished speaking at 2:30, the House went into recess again after rioters had entered the House wing and were attempting to enter the Speaker's Lobby just outside the chamber. Lawmakers were still inside and being evacuated, with Pelosi, Kevin McCarthy, and a few others taken to a secure location.^[181][182] With violence breaking out, Capitol security advised members of Congress to take cover.^[183][184] Members of Congress inside the House chamber were told to don gas masks as law enforcement began using tear gas within the building.^{[178][184][185][186][187]}

ABC News reported that shots were fired within the Capitol.^[185][188] An armed standoff took place at the front door of the chamber of the House of Representatives: as the mob attempted to break in, federal law enforcement officers drew their guns inside^[6] and pointed them toward the chamber doors, which were barricaded with furniture.^[189] In a stairway, one officer fired a shot at a man coming toward him.^[190] Photographer Erin Schaff said that, from the Capitol Rotunda, she ran upstairs, where rioters grabbed her press badge. Police found her, and because her press pass had been stolen, held her at gunpoint before colleagues intervened.^[159]

The chief of staff for Representative Ayanna Pressley (D–MA) claimed that when the congresswoman and staff barricaded themselves in her office and attempted to call for help with duress buttons that they had previously used during safety drills, "[e]very panic button in my office had been torn out – the whole unit".^[191] Subsequently, a House Administration Committee emailed Greg Sargent of The Washington Post claiming the missing buttons were likely due to a "clerical screw-up" resulting from Pressley's swapping offices.^[192] Representative Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) tweeted that there were no duress buttons in his office, but acknowledged he was only three days into his term and they were installed a week later.^[193]

Multiple rioters, using the cameras on their cell phones, documented themselves occupying the Capitol and the offices of various representatives,^[194] vandalizing the offices of Speaker Pelosi,^[195][196] accessing secure computers, and stealing a laptop.^[197]

Congress reconvened[edit | edit source]

By 6 p.m., the building was cleared of rioters, and bomb squads swept the Capitol. At 7:15 p.m., Defense Secretary Miller told the leaders of Congress that they were cleared to return to the Capitol. At 8:06 p.m., Pence called the Senate back into session, and at 9 p.m., Pelosi did the same in the House. After debating and voting down two objections, Congress voted to confirm Biden's electoral college win at 3:24 a.m.^[198]

Participants and response[edit | edit source]

Groups[edit | edit source]

The attackers included some of Trump's longtime and most fervent supporters from across the United States.^[199] The mob included Republican Party officials, current and former state legislators and political donors, far-right militants, white supremacists,^[199] conservative evangelical Christians^[b] and participants of the "Save America" Rally.^[200] According to the FBI, dozens of people on its terrorist watchlist were in D.C. for pro-Trump events on the 6th, with the majority being "suspected white supremacists".^[201] Some came heavily armed and some were convicted criminals, including a man who had been released from a Florida prison after serving a sentence for attempted murder.^[199] Although the anti-government Boogaloo movement mostly were opposing Donald Trump, a Boogaloo follower said several groups under his command helped storm the Capitol, taking the opportunity to strike against the federal government.^[202]

External video
Proud Boys Led Major Breaches of Capitol on Jan. 6, Video Investigation Finds. "The New York Times", June 17, 2022.

The Proud Boys played a much greater role in planning and coordinating the attack than was known in 2021. In 2022, new information appeared in testimony to the January 6th Committee and in a New York Times investigative video. ^[203] The NYT video tracked individual Proud Boys throughout the insurrection, showing that they tactically coordinated their attacks ”from the first moment of violence to multiple breaches of the Capitol while leaving the impression that it was just ordinary protesters leading the charge."^[204]Documentary film maker Nick Quested testified that he met up with about 300 Proud Boys at the Washington Monument at 10:30 and then they marched directly to the Capitol about a half-hour later, bypassing Trump's talk then in progress.^[205][206] Quested said, in a separate NPR interview, that comments from one of the Proud Boys indicated the attack on the Capitol was planned:

There's only one moment where that - the sort of facade of marching and protesting might have fallen, which is there was a - one of the Proud Boys called Milkshake and Eddie Block on his livestream catches Milkshake saying, well, let's go storm the Capitol with Nordean - Rufio - one of the leaders of the Proud Boys saying, you could keep that quiet, please, Milkshake. And then we continued on marching.^[207]

The NYT video shows that the Proud Boys "worked as teams"^[208] and "Telegram messages from that morning show that some of the Proud Boys intend to rile up other protesters," included this exchange between Proud Boys members:

UCC-1: I want to see thousands of normies burn that city to ash today.

Person-2: Would be epic.^[209]

Separate testimony to the January 6th Committee by Capitol police officer Caroline Edwards described the first breach after the Proud Boys arrived.

Ms. Edwards described how a Proud Boys leader named Joseph Biggs encouraged another man to approach the bike rack barricade where she was posted. That man, Ryan Samsel, she said, pushed the bike rack over, causing her to hit her head and lose consciousness. But before she blacked out, Ms. Edwards recalled seeing "a war scene" playing out in front of her. Police officers were bleeding and throwing up, she recalled. "It was carnage," she said. "It was chaos."^[210]

The Capitol Hill police were vastly outnumbered: "...the mob on the west side eventually grew to at least 9,400 people, outnumbering officers by more than 58 to one."^[211] Video shown during the hearings showed Officer Edwards being pushed back behind a bicycle rack as Proud Boys pushed barricades towards her, knocking her off her feet and causing her to hit her head on the concrete steps.^[212]

The New York Times investigation found that the Proud Boys repeatedly used the same set of tactics: identifying access points to the building, riling up other protesters and sometimes directly joining in the violence. When met with resistance, leaders of the group reassessed, and teams of Proud Boys targeted new entry points to the Capitol."^[203] One of the first breaches—if not the first—of the Capitol was by Proud Boy Dominic Pezzola breaking in a window using a stolen police shield.^[213]

Another key revelation about the Proud Boys' plans came from an informant and concerned Mike Pence:

According to an F.B.I. affidavit the panel highlighted ... a government informant said that members of the far-right militant group the Proud Boys told him they would have killed Pence 'if given the chance.' The rioters on January 6th almost had that chance, coming within forty feet of the Vice-President as he fled to safety.^[214]

Also present during the riot were parts of the Black Hebrew Israelites, the National Anarchist Movement and the Blue Lives Matter movement; Supporters of the America First Movement, the Stop the Steal movement and the Patriot Movement; remnants of the Tea Party Movement and the Traditionalist Worker Party; QAnon followers; the Three Percenters, the Proud Boys, the Oath Keepers,^[c] the Groyper Army; as well as neo-Confederates, Christian nationalists and Holocaust deniers, among other far-right organizations and groups.^[217] Anti-Semitic, neo-Nazi group NSC-131 (Nationalist Social Club) was at the event, although it is unknown to what extent.^{[218][219][d]} Following the event, members of the group detailed their actions and claimed they were the "beginning of the start of White Revolution in the United States."^[221] After the storming, two white nationalists known for racist and anti-Semitic rhetoric streamed to their online followers a video posted on social media showing a man harassing an Israeli journalist seeking to conduct a live report outside the building.^[222]

Far-right emblematic gear was worn by some participants, including Neo-Nazi and Völkisch-inspired neopagan apparel, as well as a shirt emblazoned with references to the Auschwitz–Birkenau concentration camp and its motto, Arbeit macht frei.^{[222][201][217][223]} Shirts with references to famous internet meme Pepe the Frog were also seen, alongside "1776" and "MAGA civil war 2021" shirts, NSC-131 stickers, the valknut symbol, QAnon symbolism, as well as Oath Keepers and Proud Boys hats.^[224] Rioters were seen using the OK gesture, a gesture that had been famously co-opted as an alt-right dog whistle. Christian imagery, including a large "Jesus saves" banner, was seen in the crowd of demonstrators. Various other iconography was also on display, such as flags of other countries.^[e]

A row of flags lining the Capitol grounds

An academic analysis reported in The Atlantic in February 2021 found that of the 193 people so far arrested for invading the Capitol, 89 percent had no clear public connection to established far-right militias, known white-nationalist gangs, or any other known militant organizations. "The overwhelming reason for action, cited again and again in court documents, was that arrestees were following Trump's orders to keep Congress from certifying Joe Biden as the presidential-election winner." They were older than participants in previous far-right violent demonstrations and more likely to be employed, with 40% being business owners. The researchers concluded that these "middle-aged, middle-class insurrectionists" represented "a new force in American politics – not merely a mix of right-wing organizations, but a broader mass political movement that has violence at its core and draws strength even from places where Trump supporters are in the minority."^[227]

The Associated Press reviewed public and online records of more than 120 participants after the storming and found that many of them shared conspiracy theories about the 2020 presidential election on social media and had also believed other QAnon and "deep state" conspiracy theories. Additionally, several had threatened Democratic and Republican politicians before the storming.^[199] The event was described as "Extremely Online," with "pro-Trump internet personalities" and fans streaming live footage while taking selfies.^[228][229]

According to The University of Maryland's National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism:

The "ordinary people" argument misses, or at least obscures, the extent to which the Capitol rioters were linked to dangerous groups and ideas. … at least 280 of the individuals charged with committing crimes on Jan. 6 were associated with extremist groups or conspiratorial movements. This includes 78 defendants who had links to the Proud Boys, a group with a history of violence; 37 members of the anti-government Oath Keepers militia; 31 individuals who embraced the similarly anti-government and militant views of the Three Percenters movement; and 92 defendants who promoted aspects of QAnon. ... These 280 individuals make up approximately 35 percent of the Capitol defendants. While it is true that they do not represent a majority of the more than 800 people who have been charged in connection with the riot, … A 35 percent rate of participation in extremism among a collective of apparently "ordinary" individuals is an astounding number— one that should shake us to our core.^[70]

Some military personnel participated in the riot;^[199] the Department of Defense is investigating members on active and reserve duty who may have been involved in the riot.^[230][231] Nearly 20% of defendants charged in relation to the attack and about 12% of the participants in general were reported to have served in the military.^[232][233] A report from George Washington University and the Combating Terrorism Center said that "if anything ... there actually is a very slight underrepresentation of veterans among the January 6 attackers."^[233] Police officers and a police chief from departments in multiple states are under investigation for their alleged involvement in the riot.^[234] As of January 25, at least 39 law enforcement officers are suspected of participating in Trump's pre-riot rally, or joining the Capitol riots, or both.^[235] Two Capitol Police officers were suspended, one for directing rioters inside the building while wearing a Make America Great Again hat, and the other for taking a selfie with a rioter.^[236][237]

Anti-vaccine activists and conspiracy theorists were also present at the rally.^[238] Members of the right-wing Tea Party Patriots-backed group America's Frontline Doctors, including founder Simone Gold and its communications director, were arrested.^[239][240]

The National Capital Region Threat Intelligence Consortium, a fusion center that aids the DHS and other federal national security and law enforcement groups, wrote that potentially violent individuals were joining the protest from the neo-Nazi group Atomwaffen Division and Stormfront. Despite of this information the Secret Service released an internal memo that stated there was no concern.^[241] The woman accused of stealing Nancy Pelosi's laptop was identified as member of the Atomwaffen.^[242]

State lawmakers[edit | edit source]

At least nineteen Republican current and former state legislators were present at the event.^[f] All of them denied participating in acts of violence.^[243]

West Virginia Delegate Derrick Evans filmed himself entering the Capitol alongside rioters. On January 8, he was charged by federal authorities with entering a restricted area;^[244] he resigned from the House of Delegates the next day.^[245] Amanda Chase was censured by the Virginia State Senate for her actions surrounding the event;^[246] in response she filed a federal lawsuit against that body.^[247] In May 2021, months after the riot, crowdsourced video analysis identified Pennsylvania state senator Doug Mastriano and his wife passing through a breached Capitol Police barricade, contradicting his previous claims; Mastriano dismissed these accusations as the work of "angry partisans" who were "foot soldiers of the ruling elite".^[248] Mastriano had also organized buses for people to travel from Pennsylvania to the Stop the Steal rally.^[249]

Trump's response[edit | edit source]

Trump was in the West Wing of the White House at the time of the attack.^[250] He was "initially pleased" and refused to intercede when his supporters breached the Capitol.^[251] Staffers reported that Trump had been "impossible to talk to throughout the day".^[252] Concerned that Trump may have committed treason through his actions, White House Counsel Pat Cipollone reportedly advised administration officials to avoid contact with Trump and ignore any illegal orders that could further incite the attack to limit their prosecutorial liability under the Sedition Act of 1918.^[253]

Shortly after 2:00 p.m. EST, as the riot was ongoing and after Senators had been evacuated, Trump placed calls to Republican senators (first Mike Lee of Utah, then Tommy Tuberville of Alabama), asking them to make more objections to the counting of the electoral votes to try to overturn the election.^[170] Pence was evacuated by the Secret Service from the Senate chamber around 2:13.^[170][254] At 2:47 p.m., as his supporters violently clashed with police at the Capitol, Trump tweeted, "Please support our Capitol Police and Law Enforcement. They are truly on the side of our Country. Stay peaceful!"^[255] The Washington Post later reported that Trump did not want to include the words "stay peaceful".^[256]

During the riot, Chief of Staff Mark Meadows received messages from Donald Trump Jr., as well as Fox News hosts Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, and Brian Kilmeade, urging him to tell Trump to condemn the mayhem at the risk of his reputation.^[257] By 3:10, pressure was building on Trump to condemn supporters engaged in the riots. By 3:25, Trump tweeted, "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", but he refused to call upon the crowd to disperse.^[255] By 3:40, several congressional Republicans called upon Trump to more specifically condemn violence and to tell his supporters to end the occupation of the Capitol.^[258][259]

By 3:50 p.m., White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said the National Guard and "other federal protective services" had been deployed.^[255] At 4:06 p.m. on national television, President-elect Biden called for President Trump to end the riot. At 4:22 p.m., Trump issued a video message on social media that Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube later took down. In it, he repeated his claims of electoral fraud, praised his supporters and told them to "go home".^[260][255] At 6:25 p.m., Trump tweeted: "These are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously & viciously stripped away from great patriots who have been badly & unfairly treated for so long" and then issued a call: "Go home with love & in peace. Remember this day forever!"^{[261][255][262]} At 7:00, Rudy Giuliani placed a second call to Lee's number and left a voicemail intended for Tuberville urging him to make more objections to the electoral votes as part of a bid "to try to just slow it down".^[170]

In a televised January 6 Attack congressional hearing on June 9, 2022, Congresspersons Bennie Thompson and Liz Cheney stated that Trump did nothing to stop the attack despite numerous urgent requests that he intervene. They described Trump's inaction as a "dereliction of duty".^[263] Cheney said Trump had attempted to overturn a free and fair democratic election by promoting a seven-part conspiracy.^[264][265] According to Representative Thompson, "Jan. 6 was the culmination of an attempted coup, a brazen attempt, as one rioter put it shortly after Jan. 6, to overthrow the government ... The violence was no accident. It represents Trump's last stand, most desperate chance to halt the transfer of power." Trump, according to the committee, "lied to the American people, ignored all evidence refuting his false fraud claims, pressured state and federal officials to throw out election results favoring his challenger, encouraged a violent mob to storm the Capitol and even signaled support for the execution of his own vice president."^[264][265]

After the June 9 hearing, Congressman Tom Rice (R) reiterated his long held view of Trump's conduct saying, "He watched it happen. He reveled in it. And he took no action to stop it. I think he had a duty to try to stop it, and he failed in that duty."^[266]

Congressional conduct[edit | edit source]

During the riots, Representative Lauren Boebert (R-CO) posted information about the police response and the location of members on Twitter, including the fact that Speaker Pelosi had been taken out of the chamber, for which she has faced calls to resign for endangering members.^[267][268] Boebert responded that she was not sharing private information since Pelosi's removal was also broadcast on TV.^[193]

Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) left the congressional safe room for fear of other members there "who incited the mob in the first place".^[193]

While sheltering for hours in the "safe room" – a cramped, windowless room where people sat within arms' length of each other – some Republican Congress members refused to wear face masks, even when their Democratic colleagues begged them to do so. During the following week, three Democratic members tested positive for COVID-19 in what an environmental health expert described as a "superspreader" event.^[269]

Law enforcement and National Guard response[edit | edit source]

New Jersey National Guard Troops inside the Capitol during the swearing-in on January 12

Results[edit | edit source]

Casualties[edit | edit source]

There were four casualties on January 6th, but only one resulted from a gun fired by a Capitol Police Officer. Ashli Babbitt, an unarmed 35-year-old Air Force veteran, was fatally shot in the neck by Lt. Michael Leroy Byrd, who was masked and wearing plain clothes. He shot her in the neck as she attempted to climb through the shattered window of a barricaded door.^[284]

Rosanne Boyland, 34, was another casualty. Her death was incorrectly reported as a trampling death during the riot. A later report by the D.C. medical examiner ruled it an accidental amphetamine overdose.^[285] Rosanne's mother, Cheryl Boyland, told NBC News, "She was not doing drugs. The only thing they found was her own prescription medicine."^[286] In April 2022, Boyland's family challenged the D.C. Examiner's report, and contracted Park Dietz & Associates, a board-certified forensic pathologist, to perform a comprehensive review of the Diaz autopsy and conclusions. Dietz "ruled out amphetamine intoxication as the proximate cause", adding that it might have been "a secondary contributing factor".^[287] Their final determination for cause of death was 'compressional asphyxia', described as “a situation in which pressure exerted on the chest or back of an individual impedes normal breathing and often leaves no diagnostic physical findings.” Dietz surmized Roseanne's situation when she collapsed and could not ignore her exposure to an unknown gas that was released by police a few minutes after she entered the tunnel, while at the same time, another police officer fired pepper-balls into the crowd; panic ensued as protestors tried to escape, unable to breathe. A witness told the Boyland's their daughter collapsed after being hit in the chest with a pepper-ball. As police continued to push protestors out of the tunnel, several tripped and fell on top of other protestors who had fallen, including Rosanne.^[287]

The other two casualties that day were Kevin Greeson, 55, and Benjamin Philips, 50, who died of natural causes, respectively coronary heart disease and hypertensive heart disease.^[288]

Some rioters^[g] and 138 police officers (73 Capitol Police and 65 Metropolitan Police) were injured,^[22] of whom 15 were hospitalized, some with serious injuries.^[23] All had been released from the hospital by January 11.^[290]

Damage[edit | edit source]

A damaged window in the Capitol

Rioters stormed the offices of Nancy Pelosi, flipping tables and ripping photos from walls;^[195][196] the office of the Senate Parliamentarian was ransacked;^[168] art was looted;^[6] and feces were tracked into several hallways.^[15][291] Windows were smashed throughout the building, leaving the floor littered with glass and debris.^[6][292] Rioters damaged, turned over, or stole furniture.^[292] One door had "MURDER THE MEDIA" scribbled onto it.^[293] Rioters damaged Associated Press recording and broadcasting equipment outside the Capitol after chasing away reporters.^[294] Rioters also destroyed a display honoring the life of congressman and civil rights leader John Lewis.^[295][296] A photo of Representative Andy Kim (D–NJ) cleaning up the litter in the rotunda after midnight went viral.^[297]

The rioters caused extensive physical damage.^[6][15] Architect of the Capitol J. Brett Blanton, who leads the office charged with maintaining the Capitol and preserving its art and architecture, reported in congressional testimony from late February 2021 that the combined costs of repairing the damage and post-attack security measures (such as erecting temporary perimeter fencing) already exceeded $30 million and would continue to increase.^[17] In May 2021, U.S. prosecutors estimated that the damage would cost almost $1.5 million.^[298] Interior damage from the riot included broken glass, broken doors, and graffiti; as well as defecation^[299] throughout the complex, on the floor and smeared on the walls; some statues, paintings, and furniture were damaged by pepper spray, tear gas, and fire extinguishing agents deployed by rioters and police.^[14][17]

The historic bronze Columbus Doors were damaged.^[17][300] Items, including portraits of John Quincy Adams and James Madison, as well as a marble statue of Thomas Jefferson, were covered in "corrosive gas agent residue"; these were sent to the Smithsonian for assessment and restoration.^[226] A 19th-century marble bust of President Zachary Taylor was defaced with what seemed to be blood, but the most important works in the Capitol collection, such as the John Trumbull paintings, were unharmed.^[14][292] On the Capitol's exterior, two 19th-century bronze light fixtures designed by Frederick Law Olmsted were damaged.^[14] Because the Capitol has no insurance against loss, taxpayers will pay for damage inflicted by the siege.^[293] Rare old-growth mahogany wood, stored in Wisconsin for more than one hundred years by the Forest Products Laboratory, was used to replace damaged wood fixtures and doors at the Capitol.^[301][302]

Laptop theft and cybersecurity concerns[edit | edit source]

A laptop owned by Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) was stolen.^[303] A laptop taken from Speaker Pelosi's office was a "laptop from a conference room ... that was only used for presentations", according to Pelosi's deputy chief of staff.^[304] Representative Ruben Gallego (D–AZ) said "we have to do a full review of what was taken, or copied, or even left behind in terms of bugs and listening devices". Military news website SOFREP reported that "several" secret‑level laptops were stolen, some of which had been abandoned while still logged in to SIPRNet, causing authorities to temporarily shut down SIPRNet for a security update on January 7 and leading the United States Army Special Operations Command to re-authorize all SIPRNet-connected computers on January 8.^[305][306]

Representative Anna Eshoo (D–CA) said in a statement that "[i]mages on social media and in the press of vigilantes accessing congressional computers are worrying" and she had asked the Chief Administrative Officer of the House (CAO) "to conduct a full assessment of threats based on what transpired".^[307] The CAO said it was "providing support and guidance to House offices as needed".^[304]

The laptop computer taken from Pelosi's office was taken by 22-year-old Capitol rioter Riley Williams. Williams was arrested and indicted on eight counts, including theft of government property, obstructing an official proceeding, and assaulting or resisting police. The indictment charged her with stealing the Hewlett-Packard laptop computer from Pelosi's office, subsequently selling or disposing of it, and boasting on social media of having taken Pelosi's "hard drives."^{[308][309][310]} The laptop has not been recovered.^[310] Pelosi's office stated that the computer was used only for presentations.^[308][310] Williams' boyfriend, who tipped off police, said that she had intended to send the stolen laptop to a friend in Russia for sale to Russian intelligence.^[308][310] Williams pleaded not guilty to the charges.^[309]

Events elsewhere[edit | edit source]

State capitols and cities[edit | edit source]

Protests were again being held at state capitols in the week before the inauguration.^[313]

International[edit | edit source]

Internationally, Trump's allegations of a "stolen" election found a small audience among conspiracy theorists and fringe groups.^[314] In Canada, there were small pro-Trump rallies on January 6 in Calgary, Toronto, and Vancouver.^[315] At the Vancouver rally, a demonstrator assaulted CBC photojournalist Ben Nelms.^[316] In Japan, a few hundred people in Tokyo rallied in support of Trump hours before the rally in Washington, D.C.; several people carried the U.S. flag and the Rising Sun Flag, a controversial symbol in East Asia because of its association with Japanese imperialism. The gathering in Tokyo was backed by Happy Science, a new religious movement that has been described as a cult.^[314] In New Zealand, a week after the Capitol attack, about 100 participants attended a "freedom rally" outside the New Zealand Parliament in Wellington. The "freedom rally" was organized by conspiracy theorist and New Zealand Public Party leader Billy Te Kahika and featured several participants with pro-Trump banners and flags.^[317][318]

Aftermath[edit | edit source]

Parts of this article (those related to sections with statistics, arrests and convictions) need to be updated. The reason given is: Many of the people convicted and serving time in prison were wrongfully charged per the June 28, 2024 Supreme Court ruling. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (July 2024)

Political, legal, and social repercussions[edit | edit source]

Criminal charges[edit | edit source]

By February 1, 228 people from 39 states and DC had been charged with federal and/or DC offences.^[334] By April 23, 439 people had been charged.^[335] By early September, there were over 600 federal defendants, 10% of whom had pled guilty,^[336] and hundreds more arrests expected to come.^[337] By October 13, there were over 630 federal defendants and 100 guilty pleas, with BuzzFeed publishing a searchable table of the plea deals.^[338] On January 6, 2022, exactly one year following the attack, over 725 people had been charged for their involvement; as of March 2022, 778 have already been charged in relation to the attack.^[339]

Most defendants face "two class-B misdemeanor counts for demonstrating in the Capitol and disorderly conduct, and two class-A misdemeanor counts for being in a restricted building and disruptive activity," according to BuzzFeed, and therefore most plea deals address those misdemeanors. Some defendants have been additionally charged with felonies.^[340] The median prison sentence, for those convicted thus far, is 45 days, with those who committed violence facing longer incarceration periods. Other punishments include home detention, fines, probation, and community service.^[339] On January 13, 2022, 10 members of the Oath Keepers, including founder Stewart Rhodes, were arrested and charged with seditious conspiracy.^[63]

By March 2022, Justice Department investigations of participants in the attack had expanded to include activities of others leading up to the attack. A federal grand jury was empaneled that issued at least one subpoena seeking records about people who organized, spoke at, or provided security at Trump rallies, as well as information about members of the executive and legislative branches who may have taken part in planning or executing the rallies, or attempted to "obstruct, influence, impede or delay" the certification of the election.^[341][342]

On June 17, 2022, after the January 6 Committee had held three hearings, Trump told a Faith and Freedom Coalition conference that he might run again for president and if elected he would "very very seriously" consider pardoning all those who stormed the Capitol. Reporting on Trump's speech, NBC News reported that Trump expressed no regrets about January 6 and "doubled down" on his unfounded claims about the election.^[343] On September 1, 2022, Trump similarly pledged to "very, very strongly" consider "full pardons with an apology" if reelected.^[344]

As of October 17, 2022, over 928 people have been charged in the Capitol breach.^[345]

Dismissals of Charges[edit | edit source]

On May 27, 2022, Judge Carl J. Nichols dismissed the most serious felony count in the Capitol prosecutions, 18 U.S.C. 1512(c), in the case of United States v. Garrett Miller; the United States filed an appeal, which is still pending.^[346] On October 27, 2022, Judge Timothy J. Kelly dismissed a felony count of 18 U.S.C. 1001(a)(2) in the case of United States v. Mark Ibrahim, represented by attorney Marina Medvin, who represents at least six known other January 6 defendants.^[347]

Trump's promise of pardons[edit | edit source]

On May 8, 2023, at a town hall hosted by CNN at Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire, Trump promised that if he is re-elected, he would pardon a "large portion" of those convicted of federal offenses for their participation in the January 6 attack on the Capitol.

"I am inclined to pardon many of them," Trump said. "I can't say for every single one, because a couple of them, probably they got out of control."

He added that "most likely" he would pardon "a large portion of them," and this would happen "very early on."^[348][349]

2024 Supreme Court ruling and its impact[edit | edit source]

On June 28, 2024, former President Donald Trump urged the release of individuals arrested for their involvement in the January 6, 2021 Capitol protests, reacting to a Supreme Court decision. The ruling determined that federal obstruction charges against approximately 350 defendants must be dropped unless it can be proven that their intent was explicitly to impede the certification of electoral votes. The decision, rendered by a 6-3 vote, mandates that prosecutors must provide clear evidence that the rioters specifically aimed to obstruct the official electoral process, significantly impacting the prosecution of many cases tied to the Capitol riot.^[350]

Trump's Response to Supreme Court ruling[edit | edit source]

During a rally in Virginia following the Supreme Court ruling, Trump stated:

"Free the [Jan. 6] hostages now. They should free them now for what they’ve gone through. They’ve been waiting for this decision for a long time. That was a great answer, that was a great thing for people who’ve been so horribly treated."

The ruling marked an escalation in Trump's ongoing concerns regarding the treatment of the January 6 defendants.^[350][351]

The Supreme Court ruling was seen as a significant victory for Trump, aligning with his previous statements and promises. His remarks followed a debate with President Joe Biden, during which he condemned political violence but reiterated claims of irregularities in the 2020 election and did not commit to accepting the results of the 2024 election.^[350]

Conviction statistics and context[edit | edit source]

More than 600 people involved in the January 6 attack have been convicted, with more than 480 sentenced. Hundreds of additional rioters have been identified but have not yet been charged. The Supreme Court ruling and Trump's subsequent comments have significant implications for these individuals and the broader legal and political consequences stemming from the Capitol protests and resulting riotous behavior.^[349]

Trump's TIME Magazine interview[edit | edit source]

In an interview with Time magazine on April 30, 2024, Trump labeled the prosecuted January 6 participants as "hostages" and "political prisoners," questioning the fairness of their convictions. He contrasted these cases with those from other violent protests, saying, "Because when I look at Portland, when I look at Minneapolis, where they took over police precincts and everything else, and went after federal buildings, when I look at other situations that were violent, and where people were killed, nothing happened to them." He stated, "I think it's a two-tier system of justice. I think it's a very, very sad thing. And whether you like it or not, nobody died other than Ashli." When asked if he would consider pardoning all of the convicted individuals, Trump affirmed, "Yes, absolutely."^[352]

See also[edit | edit source]

Explanatory notes[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

Video[edit | edit source]

• January 6 Coverage, (News and analysis from Epoch Times)
• Videos taken by journalist Tayler Hansen, demonstrate Ashli Babbitt was not violent inside US Capitol
• What Parler Saw During the Attack on the Capitol (video archive from ProPublica)
• Day of Rage: How Trump Supporters Took the U.S. Capitol (visual investigation by The New York Times)
• The Real Story of January 6 Joseph M. Hanneman and Fiona Young (part 1 & 2)
• Federal Bureau of Investigation videos (Filter by keywords)