Topline
As scenes of mostly white Trump supporters swarming the U.S. Capitol with little pushback from law enforcement emerged on Wednesday—along with video showing cops appearing to take selfies with some of the perpetrators—commentators urged Republicans to condemn the violence with the same vigour they used to denounce anti-racism protesters, as they suggested that a group of largely Black or Muslim protesters would likely be treated more harshly.
Trump supporters gesture to U.S. Capitol Police in the hallway outside of the Senate chamber at the … [+] Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Key Facts
Law enforcement, outnumbered by the mob and appearing largely absent inside the building, told lawmakers to put on gas masks as tear gas was fired inside.
A clip posted on social media by political consultant Timothy Burke appeared to show Trump supporters taking a selfie with law enforcement after breaking into the Capitol.
Some social media users suggested there was a double standard as the protesters, who were mostly white and male, were able to enter the building and were seen wandering around the Senate floor, sitting in the chamber and looting property.
“Having covered many protests over the years, I do wonder if the majority of these folks were black and brown whether they’d be treated the same way they’re being treated right now,” MSNBC anchor Craig Melvin tweeted.
“I don’t know what they’re doing in there but they need to be locking them up,” former Philadelphia police chief Charles Ramsey told CNN.
At least 13 people have been arrested and five weapons have been recovered so far citywide amid Wednesday’s pro-Trump protests, Washington D.C. Police Chief Robert Contee III said.
Chief Critic
CNN host Van Jones said: “I’m calling on all of my Conservative friends, my Republican friends ‘what would I do’ if Black Lives Matter dropped 30,000 people on the nation’s capital and lay siege to the seat of power in the middle of a joint session of Congress and broke in? If Muslims dropped 30,000 Muslims on the seat of government in the middle of a joint seat of Congress and ran in there and there was blood on the floor and tear gas, what would we be saying? If you believe we are all one people…there needs to be a uniform denunciation from top to bottom of the Republican party of what we’re seeing.”
Key Background
The Capitol was put on lockdown after hundreds of Trump supporters, encouraged by the President to “peacefully and patriotically protest” on Wednesday following a rally to peddle false claims about voter fraud, breached police barricades, smashed windows and entered the building, disrupting a meeting to certify President-elect Joe Biden’s win and forcing lawmakers to either evacuate or shelter in place. According to police, one woman was shot and is in an unknown condition, while “suspicious devices” were found at the Republican National Committee headquarters, which the FBI is investigating. The chaos saw protesters clash with police, with officers deploying tear gas inside the building, prompting the National Guard in D.C., to be activated, while the governors of Virginia and Maryland have sent members of their National Guard to assist. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has since ordered a 6 p.m. curfew.
Tangent
At least six people were arrested on Tuesday night as protesters gathered in D.C. before the rally.
