What can we learn from the the Jan 6 Capitol Riot?

As I watched the Trump supporters and rioters wave their flags and break windows and climb the walls of the Capitol building on Jan 6, I wasn’t surprised at all. I have suspected that a certain segment of Trump supporters were fully capable of such behavior for many different lip tattoo perth.

If you study the footage inside the Capitol you will see one person carrying a huge Confederate flag and many others carrying printed signs saying, ”Stop the Steal”. One huge homemade banner says, ”Jesus is my Savior, Trump is my President”. Smaller signs, symbols and pieces of clothing display Qanon, MAGA, and Militia symbols. Many men are in military garb with backpacks and helmets. Many are using their Trump and US flag poles as weapons against the small force of Capitol Police who are NOT in riot gear and have tiny cans of pepper spray or mace. They seem afraid to draw their weapons because they are outnumbered by at least 100 rioters for each policeman.

It is clear that a man tattooed and painted from head to toe and wearing a Viking helmet with sharp bull horns and carrying a huge spear, is screaming and chanting. This man has since been arrested so we know that he claims to be a Qanon Shaman who now has a lawyer who claims that his client is mentally ill.

The FBI will continue to arrest people who are easily identified by the video footage and cell phone pictures which are numerous and have date, exact time and location printed on them. Rioters tried to beat up journalists and steal cameras but many people, including the rioters, also took pictures. Some people may have looked like thugs but they were proud of what they were doing. They obviously came from many different backgrounds and places. They were all there because of one man: Donald Trump, who had given the order to get to the Capitol and fight, just before the crowd rushed toward this very building.

We may never fully understand what motivated EACH one of these people to come to Washington DC prepared for a riot or revolution, but it is already clear that many have said that they were,” Taking their country Back” by keeping Donald Trump in power.

People said that the election was fraudulent and they believe Trump won, because that was declared by him repeatedly. Some screamed, “ Kill Mike Pence”, who at that very moment was being rushed to safety by the Secret Service and Capitol Police. Others were looking for Nancy Pelosi and other Democratic leaders who were also evacuated moments before rioters broke into the House and Senate Chambers and several offices of key Democrats to steal things and photograph documents.

Since WWII, we have never seen a riot like this on US soil. We have seen individuals (like Timothy McVeigh) bomb or attempt to bomb government buildings. We have seen criminals commit arson and kill policemen. We have seen many mass shootings at schools and public spaces. Each time we have been shocked, but at the same time somewhat relieved to discover that these people appeared to be insane and usually acting alone. KKK violence and more recently the Charlottesville events are revealing that more organized hate groups are forming more frequently. We have failed to realize that crowds of people could be incited to not only riot, but to attempt to kill elected officials and their security personnel. There have been many more killings of US citizens carried out by white male Americans than by foreign born individuals. How do we end this increase in domestic terror and its threat to the “unalienable…rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” for all Americans?

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