2021 storming of the United States Capitol
Violent disruption of the presidential election certification on January 6, 2021
On January 6, 2021, supporters of United States President Donald Trump stormed the United States Capitol. The event disrupted a joint session of Congress during which the Electoral College vote was to be certified, affirming Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 presidential election. This came after weeks of numerous failed lawsuits related to the election.

I am appalled by the reckless behavior of some political leaders since the election and by the lack of respect shown today for our institutions, our traditions, and our law enforcement. ~ George W. Bush
QuotesEdit
Orchestrating a mob to pressure Congress is inexcusable … The President’s conduct yesterday was a betrayal of his office and supporters. ~ William Barr
- (Sorted alphabetically by author or source)
The man who was seen during the storming of the Capitol building last week wearing fur, horns, and red, white and blue face paint, is seeking a pardon from President Donald Trump for criminal charges related to his role in the events, which led to the deaths of five people. ~ Chris Walker, Truthout
- Either they take Trump …[or] we’ll light the whole shit on fire!
- Ali Alexander (head of Stop the Steal) quoted by Greg Palast, in Organized’ March to Capitol Was Not Permitted, Rally Organizers Warned White House, Consortium News (14 January 2021)
- From my perspective, any police officer sworn to protect the constitution and the rule of law [who is] found to have engaged in the attack on the Capitol will be facing some very severe sanctions. To think that there were police officers who participated in this plot against our country and this attack against our country, it’s heart-wrenching. It’s a fireable offense. The nature of the threat is unprecedented. The threat is not just to the capitol or to the inauguration. The threat is to the government itself...
I would caution these unions to remember that they exists to protect officer’s rights but primarily to protect them from misconduct or allegations when they’re working
- Orchestrating a mob to pressure Congress is inexcusable … The President’s conduct yesterday was a betrayal of his office and supporters.
- Laura and I are watching the scenes of mayhem unfolding at the seat of our Nation's government in disbelief and dismay. It is a sickening and heartbreaking sight. This is how election results are disputed in a banana republic — not our democratic republic.
I am appalled by the reckless behavior of some political leaders since the election and by the lack of respect shown today for our institutions, our traditions, and our law enforcement. The violent assault on the Capitol — and disruption of a Constitutionally-mandated meeting of Congress — was undertaken by people whose passions have been inflamed by falsehoods and false hopes.
In the United States of America, it is the fundamental responsibility of every patriotic citizen to support the rule of law. To those who are disappointed in the results of the election: Our country is more important than the politics of the moment. Let the officials elected by the people fulfill their duties and represent our voices in peace and safety.
May God continue to bless the United States of America.
- There was no arson, there was no burning of anything, there was no looting, there was very little destruction of property... It was a bunch of pissed-off people that feel an election was stolen, somehow, some way... If the worst crime here is trespassing, so be it... [the rioters were] entitled to voice their frustration
- The President of the United States summoned this mob, assembled the mob, and lit the flame of this attack. Everything that followed was his doing. None of this would have happened without the President. The President could have immediately and forcefully intervened to stop the violence. He did not.
- Liz Cheney in Liz Cheney, No. 3 House Republican, to vote to impeach Trump January 12, 2020
- One adult female and two adult males appear to have suffered from separate medical emergencies, which resulted in their deaths. Any loss of life in the District is tragic and our thoughts are with anyone impacted by their loss,
- Chief Robert Contee (acting Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, D.C.) according to US Capitol secured, 4 dead after rioters stormed the halls of Congress to block Biden's win posted January 6, 2021
- Officials are... looking at the bigger picture to identify if the riot was a coordinated effort between those inside and outside of the Capitol. "That is a tier 1, top priority for the U.S. attorney and federal law enforcement—to see if there was an overarching command and control and organized teams to breach the Capitol and accomplished some type of mission inside the Capitol," Michael Sherwin, acting U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, told reporters Friday. Sherwin said he expected the over 275 suspects to turn into 300 by the end of the day and "exponentially increase" over the weekend and into next week. Officials attributed the success of the investigation partially to the American public's help.
- Senator Lindsey Graham said at a press conference that money would not be an object in pursuing charges against the "domestic terrorists" who unlawfully entered the Capitol. Other legislators, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, are pushing for the FBI to put rioters on the no-fly list.
"We are concerned about these people getting back on airplanes and doing more violence," Schumer said Tuesday. "Ahead of the concern for possible future attacks and with the law on our side, we are to say that these insurrectionists, many of whom are known to be at large, should not be able to hop on a flight."- Jenni Fink, Newsweek, Officials Investigating if There Was an Organized 'Mission' Inside the Capitol During Riot, (15 January 2020)
- Steven D'Antuono, assistant director in charge of the FBI's Washington Field Office, said the bureau has received more than 145,000 photos and videos in the past week. "Every FBI field office in the country is looking for you," D'Antuono said in a message to those involved in the riot. "As a matter of fact, even your friends and family are tipping us off."
- Jenni Fink, Newsweek, Officials Investigating if There Was an Organized 'Mission' Inside the Capitol During Riot, (15 January 2020)
- Twelve Harvard affiliates... had co-signed an open letter Wednesday demanding the immediate removal of Trump from office through the impeachment process or the invocation of the 25th Amendment. Dartmouth professor Brendan Nyhan started the letter and more than 800 fellow political scientists had signed as of 11:30 p.m. “Our profession seeks to understand politics, not engage in it, but we share a commitment to democratic values. The President’s actions threaten American democracy,” the letter reads. “He has rejected the peaceful transfer of power, encouraged state legislators to overturn election results in their states, pressured a state official to change election results, and now incited a violent mob that shut down the counting of electoral votes and stormed the U.S. Capitol.”
- There’s economic anxiety, there’s racial anxiety. There’s probably gender. Most of these people were men — 30-ish-year old white men who either don’t have a job or are worried about their jobs... It’s possible that that’s what we’re in the middle of here with the Republican Party — today, last Saturday, God only knows what will happen over the next two weeks — will drive the genuinely conservative Republicans away from the increasingly small, but radicalized Trumpist supporters... But I’m not sure that they’ll disappear when Trump disappears — so the Republican Party may be just breaking up.
- In so far as he encouraged people to go to Congress, and in so far as the President has consistently cast doubt on the outcome of a free and fair election, I believe that to be completely wrong. I unreservedly condemn encouraging people to behave in the disgraceful way they did in the Capitol.
- Boris Johnson, UK Prime Minister, [1] CNN.com (Jan 7, 2020)
- I watched today’s actions on the Hill broken hearted. Horrified. That’s not us. This is an attack on our democracy, our way of life, and not just by the criminals who assaulted our Congress today.
- John Kelly according to John Kelly after Capitol riot: 'Look infinitely harder at who we elect to any office' January 7, 2021
- President @realDonaldTrump supporters pulling Antifa terrorists away from building. There’s plenty of these videos. Why isn’t the #mainstreammedia reporting?
- Bernard Kerik (law enforcement officer) on 7 January 2021
- This is what happens when not just Trump, but much of the Republican Party leadership, in a polarized political setting, spends four years lying to its base — working its base into a frenzy telling its base that the other side are traitors, that the other side are trying to destroy the country, that the other side stole the election. If you spend four years mobilizing the base into outrage, you’re very likely to get this sort of violent mobilization.
- I think Trump is at fault here, I watched almost all of his speech. I felt like it was inevitable.
- John Earle Sullivan, who was inside the Capitol building during the siege on Wednesday, previously gave a speech in BLM Plaza in DC in August 2020 where he identifies as being part of an insurgency group & calls for a violent left-wing revolution.
One of the men who was part of the siege of the Capitol building is John Earle Sullivan, an extreme BLM activist from Utah. He was arrested & charged in July 2020 over a BLM-antifa riot where drivers in Provo were threatened & one was shot.
- Before Donald Trump exhorted the Jan. 6 rally to march on the Capitol, the White House had been warned by the rally sponsor that there was no permit for a march, that the Interior Department’s Park Police were promised there would be no march, and that such an unplanned march was dangerous. As a result, the police were stunned, undermanned and unprepared for Trump’s surprise launch of thousands of his enraged Trump supporters, some armed, on the Capitol. “I mean, it was shocking. It’s something we advocated against doing for exactly the reasons that ended up playing themselves out,” said a high-level source inside Women for America First, the organization that held the Interior Department permit for the rally. They spoke to this reporter on condition of anonymity. Even more damning, the march Trump set in motion was led and promoted by ultra-right, violence-threatening extremist Ali Alexander head of Stop the Steal. The Palast Investigative Team filmed Alexander, only weeks before the riot, exhorting a crowd: “Either they take Trump …[or] we’ll light the whole shit on fire!”
- The first news that there would be, despite warnings, an illegal, uncontrolled march was at 12:15 pm when Trump himself surprised the protest organizers with his announcement. “I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard,” Trump said. The march on the Capitol was set in motion when the President announced he himself would join it. “The announcement that he was going to go was news to us,” the insider said. “But then [Trump] said he’s walking! It caught our team by surprise and unprepared.”... Alex Jones stated on his podcast that he and Alexander were called by the White House just before the president’s speech and were told to prepare to lead the crowd on a march... The White House has not denied the duo’s extraordinary claim, a claim consistent with events.
- I join the Senate Democratic leader in calling on the vice president to remove this president by immediately invoking the 25th Amendment. If the vice president and Cabinet do not act, the Congress may be prepared to move forward with impeachment
- Nancy Pelosi according to 'Betrayal of his office': Calls for Trump's removal grow as even former allies begin to back away January 8, 1020
- La protesta pacifica è diritto di ogni americano ma questo attacco al nostro Campidoglio non sarà tollerato e le persone coinvolte saranno perseguite al livello massimo consentito dalla legge.
- (google translate): Peaceful protest is the right of every American but this attack on our Capitol will not be tolerated and the people involved will be prosecuted to the maximum extent permitted by law.
- Calling on Vice President Michael R. Pence to convene and mobilize the principal officers of the executive departments of the Cabinet to activate section 4 of the 25th Amendment to declare President Donald J. Trump incapable of executing the duties of his office and to immediately exercise powers as acting President.
- to immediately use his powers under section 4 of the 25th Amendment to convene and mobilize the principal officers of the executive departments in the Cabinet to declare what is obvious to a horrified Nation: That the President is unable to successfully discharge the duties and powers of his office
- Jamie Raskin 117TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION January 11, 2020
- A moment of extremely poor judgment...Without qualification and as a peaceful and law-abiding citizen, I condemn the violence and destruction that took place in Washington,"
- Brad Rukstales, CEO of Cogensia according to CEO arrested for breaching the US Capitol during Trump-fueled insurrection January 10, 2021
- These reports that Mitch McConnell may be open to the impeachment charges as well is quite a potential earthquake in the Senate
- Adam Schiff in Schiff: Trump Impeachment ‘Gathering Momentum’ with Republicans January 12, 2021
- They did not just break down the doors of the building that housed American democracy. They trampled the very principles on which our country was founded
- Arnold Schwarzenegger in Schwarzenegger likens U.S. Capitol siege to Nazi violence January 11, 2021
- I have never beheld a spectacle more terrible and at the same time more magnificent
- The visitors encountered by some of the Members of Congress on this letter appeared to be associated with the rally at the White House the following day. Given the events of January 6, the ties between these groups inside the Capitol Complex and the attacks on the Capitol need to be investigated.
- Letter to authorities signed by Mielke Sherrill and More than 30 lawmakers call for investigation into ‘suspicious’ access to Capitol Complex ahead of breach January 13, 2021
- Come on. Let’s go!
We’re all part of this (expletive) history
2021! (expletive) This is insanity. I am shook. What is this? What is this painting, you know? King (expletive) bro (expletive)!
Is this not going to be the best film you’ve ever made in your life?
This is surreal. This is real life, though. This seems like a movie.
This is a revolution. You guys treasure this moment. This is history.- John Earle Sullivan shoulder-to-shoulder with other rioters inside the Capital on 6 January 2021
- What we witnessed was an assault on democracy by violent rioters, incited by the current president and other politicians
- As shocking, deeply disturbing, and frankly saddening as that event remains, we have also seen this week that democracy is resilient in America, our closest ally and neighbour. Violence has no place in our societies, and extremists will not succeed in overruling the will of the people.
- Justin Trudeau in Trudeau says 'shocking' riot in Washington was incited by Trump January 8, 2021
- We’re going walk down to the Capitol, and we’re going to cheer on our brave senators, and congressmen and women.
I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.
we’re going to walk down Pennsylvania Avenue, I love Pennsylvania Avenue, and we’re going to the Capitol and we’re going to try and give…
our Republicans, the weak ones, because the strong ones don’t need any of our help,
we’re going to try and give them the kind of pride and boldness that they need
So let’s walk down Pennsylvania Avenue.- Donald Trump in Save America Rally Speech on 6 December 2021 before the crowd moved toward the capital
- This gathering [at the Ellipse] should send a message to them. This isn't their Republican Party anymore. This is Donald Trump's Republican Party.
You can be a hero, or you can be a zero. And the choice is yours. But we are all watching. The whole world is watching, folks. Choose wisely.- Donald Trump Jr According to Melania Trump and adult Trump children avoid the spotlight after one of nation's darkest days posted January 8, 2020
- American Patriots, any security breach or disrespect to our law enforcement is unacceptable. The violence must stop immediately. Please be peaceful
- Ivanka Trump according to Ivanka, Eric and Don Jr. are in Furious Damage Control Following Capital Hill Siege January 6, 2021
- The man who was seen during the storming of the Capitol building last week wearing fur, horns, and red, white and blue face paint, is seeking a pardon from President Donald Trump for criminal charges related to his role in the events, which led to the deaths of five people. Jacob Anthony Chansley, who also uses the alias of Jake Angeli, faces several criminal charges, including knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds without the legal authority to do so, as well as violent entry and disorderly conduct inside the Capitol... Chansley’s attorney, Albert Watkins, believes that Trump should pardon him and others that took part in the breach because it was the president himself that invited them to Washington, D.C., for a protest rally, and encouraged them to go to the Capitol during a speech outside the White House.
Indeed, Trump had invited his loyalists to come to Washington, D.C., last month, tweeting on December 20 that the protest on January 6 would be “wild.” Trump incited his supporters to take action against lawmakers as they were certifying the election results, telling his loyalists to head to the Capitol, adding that they would “never take back our country with weakness.”
See alsoEdit
External linksEdit
- Encyclopedic article on 2021 storming of the United States Capitol at Wikipedia
- Media related to 2021 storming of the United States Capitol at Wikimedia Commons