James GordonThe Capitol, the home of the people, has been destroyed and desecrated. Legislators and their staff, civil servants and journalists were forced to hide and flee. A troublemaker was shot and killed. Three other people were killed and more than a dozen policemen were injured. Many people in the crowd wore trumpet banners and some wore the treacherous Confederate flag.
It was one of the worst attacks on the Capitol since the British set it on fire in 1814.
We were supposed to wake up this morning after the mass arrests. The president, the republican party and law enforcement must consider this failure to be highly unacceptable. Otherwise a dangerous message would have been sent: That’s good.
And make no mistake: If there are no serious consequences commensurate with the seriousness of these acts, the crowd will be encouraged. They’ll try again and they’ll escalate.
We know because we’ve been there. In the spring, hundreds of heavily armed agents who called themselves patriots stormed Michigan’s Capitol Hill and protested against Covid’s order to stay at home. The president supported them by tweeting LIBERATE MICHIGAN the next day. Six of them were later indicted when investigators uncovered their alleged conspiracy to kidnap the governor. Gretchen Whitmer. The president described the protesters as very good people.
Fault! The file name is not specified.
Is it any wonder the rebel gang moved to Washington?
This is a defining moment. If fair and appropriate consequences are drawn against the traitors who tried to destroy American democracy, yesterday’s looting could be the end of a dark period.
Or, if the consequences are not enough, yesterday could be the beginning of an era of unprecedented chaos and violence.
It is scandalous and unforgivable that the police did not arrest the people who broke into the Capitoline building on the spot. And it is particularly appalling that they have managed to arrest working journalists and release men and women (especially men) who have been guilty of violence and destruction.
It’s not that the police don’t have the capacity. Eventually, 289 protesters were arrested on 1 January alone when the Black Lives Matter gathered in Washington and were mostly peaceful – and certainly didn’t storm the Capitol building. During the period of four days from the age of 30. May until 2 May. In June, more than 400 people were arrested for riot-related crimes.
More than 1400 Black Lives Matter demonstrators were arrested throughout the United States last summer. But yesterday, when pro-Tromp activists, mostly whites, gathered in the country’s state capitals – and many of them launched attacks on state capitals and governor’s homes, forcing staff to evacuate and close buildings – the police were largely on the lookout.
Fault! The file name is not specified.
Let’s make one thing clear: The police must withdraw if the demonstrations are peaceful. Nobody’s asking that the pro-Trumpse protesters be treated like the pro-Black Lives Matter protesters. Rather, we ask for appropriate treatment of demonstrators who stand up for racial justice.
And vice versa. Angry but non-violent demonstrators should be able to gather and be given a large leeway. But when peaceful demonstrations turn into looting and all kinds of violent attacks on the land itself, it is time for the law enforcement agencies to intervene. Law enforcement fled that responsibility yesterday.
But it’s not too late. We have the means to track down at least some of the perpetrators of these crimes, and many media have even identified some of the leaders. Acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen has issued a statement indicating that some rioters will be indicted on Thursday and more charges will be filed in the coming weeks. The Ministry of Justice will continue to assess the evidence in a methodical way, bring criminal charges and make arrests in the coming days and weeks to ensure that those responsible are held to account in accordance with the law.
The FBI says they’re trying to identify the instigators of the violence in Washington. If they are looking for the main instigator, they have to go to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. When looking for people who have committed violence, looting and theft, their faces are easy to see in photos and videos, and brag a lot about their actions on social media.
An unresolved question is what the prosecutors, who have a great deal of discretion, will charge – whether they will prosecute the suspects aggressively, as they have done with many Black Lives Matter demonstrators, or whether they will choose to be more lenient. They have to be honest: Not punishable and unnecessarily harsh, as was the case in the BLM’s criminal cases, but proportionate to the seriousness of yesterday’s actions.
This is a moment for American democracy. Will you lock him up? Yeah, some of them. All those who fired and desecrated the Capitol building yesterday, and all those who encouraged and enabled them, must see the serious consequences of their rebellion. If they don’t, the rest of America will suffer the consequences.
Wednesday’s riots will have a price. It’s just a matter of who’s going to pay for it.
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James Gordon
