Five years after a violent mob stormed the US Capitol, Democrats are speaking out against the events of January 6 in stark contrast to the silence maintained by many Republicans. The day marked a turning point in American history as lawmakers were forced to flee for their safety.
As part of an unofficial hearing convened by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, several key figures, including former US Capitol police officer Winston Pingeon and rioter Pam Hemphill, shared their accounts of the violent insurrection. The event has been linked to nine deaths and dozens of injuries, and a bipartisan congressional committee later concluded that President Trump intended to disrupt the peaceful transition of power.
Jeffries criticized Trump for pardoning numerous individuals convicted or charged with crimes related to the attack, saying it amounts to "a Trump-inspired crime spree." He urged Republicans in Congress to condemn this behavior and the ongoing threat it poses to public safety.
Meanwhile, many Republican lawmakers chose to remain silent on the anniversary, with some even downplaying the severity of the events. For example, Republican congressman Mike Collins wrote that thousands of people peacefully gathered at the Capitol building in 2021, which he claimed was a "self-guided, albeit unauthorized, tour." This account bears little resemblance to the violent riot that took place on January 6.
The anniversary also saw several dozen protesters march towards the Capitol, some wearing shirts with pardoned individuals' names. A small group of these protesters was allowed to approach the west front of the building, where they placed flowers in honor of Ashli Babbitt, a rioter who was fatally shot by a police officer during the insurrection.
The occasion has reignited controversy over a plaque that Congress requires to be installed at the Capitol in honor of officers who responded to the attack. Republican Speaker Mike Johnson has yet to install this plaque, which has been gathering dust in a closet for months.
As part of their silence on January 6, some Republicans have also sparked debate by downplaying the severity of Trump's pardons and suggesting that those responsible for the violence were not entirely at fault. However, others, like Senator Thom Tillis, who is not seeking re-election after clashing with Trump, have criticized both parties for creating "an attitude around here that law enforcement is bad."
In an interview, Enrique Tarrio, a former national leader of the Proud Boys group convicted of charges related to the Capitol attack and pardoned by Trump, said he expected such marches would take place every January 6. Despite some Republicans' attempts to downplay or ignore the anniversary, it remains clear that the events of January 6 had a profound impact on American democracy.
As part of an unofficial hearing convened by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, several key figures, including former US Capitol police officer Winston Pingeon and rioter Pam Hemphill, shared their accounts of the violent insurrection. The event has been linked to nine deaths and dozens of injuries, and a bipartisan congressional committee later concluded that President Trump intended to disrupt the peaceful transition of power.
Jeffries criticized Trump for pardoning numerous individuals convicted or charged with crimes related to the attack, saying it amounts to "a Trump-inspired crime spree." He urged Republicans in Congress to condemn this behavior and the ongoing threat it poses to public safety.
Meanwhile, many Republican lawmakers chose to remain silent on the anniversary, with some even downplaying the severity of the events. For example, Republican congressman Mike Collins wrote that thousands of people peacefully gathered at the Capitol building in 2021, which he claimed was a "self-guided, albeit unauthorized, tour." This account bears little resemblance to the violent riot that took place on January 6.
The anniversary also saw several dozen protesters march towards the Capitol, some wearing shirts with pardoned individuals' names. A small group of these protesters was allowed to approach the west front of the building, where they placed flowers in honor of Ashli Babbitt, a rioter who was fatally shot by a police officer during the insurrection.
The occasion has reignited controversy over a plaque that Congress requires to be installed at the Capitol in honor of officers who responded to the attack. Republican Speaker Mike Johnson has yet to install this plaque, which has been gathering dust in a closet for months.
As part of their silence on January 6, some Republicans have also sparked debate by downplaying the severity of Trump's pardons and suggesting that those responsible for the violence were not entirely at fault. However, others, like Senator Thom Tillis, who is not seeking re-election after clashing with Trump, have criticized both parties for creating "an attitude around here that law enforcement is bad."
In an interview, Enrique Tarrio, a former national leader of the Proud Boys group convicted of charges related to the Capitol attack and pardoned by Trump, said he expected such marches would take place every January 6. Despite some Republicans' attempts to downplay or ignore the anniversary, it remains clear that the events of January 6 had a profound impact on American democracy.
, you know? I mean, five years after all the chaos and violence, it's crazy how some folks are still actin' like it never happened 
. And with Trump pardonin' all these people, it's just... wow. It feels like we're back to square one, ya know? 
I remember when my kids were young, they used to ask me about the past and what it was like growin' up, but now I'm tryin' to explain this stuff to them and it's just... *sigh* 
. The thing is, some of these Republican lawmakers are still silent on this whole thing, while others are just tryin' to downplay the severity of it all 
. It's like they're forgettin' what happened or tryin' to sweep it under the rug. And don't even get me started on that plaque for the officers... come on, guys! 
Get with the times! The whole thing just feels like a big ol' mess, ya know? 
i'm still not buying all this about trump's pardons being a 'crime spree'. like, what's next? is he gonna pardon rioters and expect them to just calm down and be happy with their "free pass" or something? 
. This is a real problem, and we need to take responsibility for our actions.
and yeah trump's pardons are straight fire 
he's basically saying "hey i'm a crime boss" 
but you gotta give props to house minority leader jeffries for calling out trump's pardons and saying they're a "trump-inspired crime spree" 
and what's up with the congress not installing that plaque honoring officers who responded to the attack? 
. I mean, it's not like some folks are trying to downplay or erase the violence that went down, they're literally saying it was a peaceful tour 
. But others see the harm and the fear that those rioters caused, and they want justice 
.
. Sometimes its because we're scared to challenge our own views or to go against someone we admire 
. But isn't it cool when we're forced to confront the reality of a situation and see things from another side? It can be kinda humbling, like realizing how much we still have to learn about ourselves and each other 
.
. Let's all strive to be more empathetic and understanding towards one another 
.
. And what's with the plaque at the Capitol? It's not that hard to install, right? 
. like, i know it was super violent and all but some repubs are still tryin to downplay it 
. like, he's basically sayin that his base was right to try and take over the government 
.
. And can we pls get that plaque up at the capitol already? 
.
. but at the same time, we gotta make sure that ppl are held accountable for their actions 
.
.
. I'm just waiting for someone to actually do something about it instead of just making noise on social media 
.
. Not exactly the kind of hero I'd want to honor with a plaque or anything 
. I'm all for bipartisanship, but some folks need to take responsibility for their actions and stop making excuses for the violence that happened five years ago 
what's good fam? so I was watchin this news about the whole Capitol thing and man I'm still shook. five years ago we saw some crazy stuff go down and now it's like Republicans are just ignoring it 
. I mean I get why they don't wanna stir up drama but c'mon, condemn the guy who pardoned his buddies for commitin' crimes? that's straight up messed up.