January 6, 2021 - the storming of the Capitol in pictures
Created: 05/01/2023, 20:15
On January 6, 2021, a rabid mob stormed the US Capitol in Washington DC.
Donald Trump's supporters did not want to accept his defeat by Joe Biden and decided to take matters into their own hands.
The result: five dead people, 140 injured police officers and deep damage to US democracy.
Also because Trump still does not recognize the US elections in 2020, the events of that day are still preoccupying the United States of America.
1 / 11It all started with a speech by Donald Trump.
The still incumbent President had called his supporters to Washington DC to demonstrate the election of Joe Biden as US President.
He had won the election in November, and on January 6 the state electors were to confirm Biden's victory in Washington DC.
Actually a formal, ceremonial act. In Trump's perception, however, it was probably the last chance to prevent defeat by Biden.
Trump urged his thousands of listeners to “go to the Capitol together” to “take back our country”.
© Brendan Smialowski/afp
2 / 11The mob of MAGA fans obeyed Donald Trump and headed towards the Capitol.
At around 12 noon local time, thousands of people gathered on the steps of the parliament buildings.
Many wore camouflage clothing and gas masks.
Trump flags and devotionals were everywhere.
Contrary to his announcement, the voted-out US President was nowhere to be seen.
Security personnel, consisting of Secret Service employees, are said to have banned Trump from participating in the demonstration.
© Roberto Schmidt/afp
3 / 11Donald Trump's supporters didn't just target the Democrats and Joe Biden.
Mike Pence was also targeted by the mobs.
A few days earlier, Trump had asked his vice president not to ratify Biden's election - a formal task that falls to the vice president in the US political system.
Pence refused, which inspired Trump's fans to chant, "Hang Mike Pence."
The mob underlined their demand with self-made gallows in front of the Capitol.
© Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/afp
4 / 11In front of the Capitol, the mob encountered hopelessly undermanned security forces.
The police were powerless and could not long hold the barricades in front of the Capitol.
At around 12:30 p.m., the angry mob finally broke through the barriers.
The police finally gave up after two hours and Trump fans gained access to the parliament buildings.
© Joseph Prezioso/afp
5 / 11While the battle between MAGA fans and Capitol police raged outside, the US Senate was in session to finally declare Joe Biden President.
Shortly after the mob gained entry to the buildings, Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi adjourned the session.
The hemicycle was evacuated by the security forces.
© Erin Schaff/afp
6 / 11In the Capitol, supporters of Donald Trump began to riot in the hallowed halls of American democracy.
Numerous works of art were destroyed, the walls were smeared with excrement and a lectern was stolen, which was soon put up for sale on Ebay.
Meanwhile, deputies who could not be evacuated in time barricaded themselves in individual rooms in the Capitol.
© Roberto Schmidt/afp
7 / 11 Donald Trump's supporters specifically targeted Nancy Pelosi's office.
Richard Barnett was among those who gained access to the Speaker of the US House's chambers.
There, Barnett took pictures of himself in the Pelosi chair, posted them on Facebook, and wrote insulting messages on Pelosi's desk.
Shortly after the storming of the Capitol, Barnett was arrested.
© Saul Loeb/afp
8/11Jake Angeli also gained notoriety on January 6, 2021.
The so-called "QAnon Shaman" participated in the storming of the Capitol in war paint and with a fur hat including horns.
Days later, Angeli was arrested and charged with willfully entering or staying in locked buildings or premises without lawful authority, as well as forcible entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.
The search was easy due to the "unique clothing and the extensive tattoos on his upper body", the authorities said afterwards.
© Saul Loeb/afp
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9 / 11Everywhere in the buildings, Donald Trump supporters cavorted for hours.
The ousted US President was reluctant to send the National Guard to support the Capitol police and initially refused to calm the mob via video message.
It wasn't until four hours after the Capitol doors were smashed in that the incumbent President addressed the protesters.
He only half-heartedly condemned the violence of the day and praised the rioters as "great patriots".
© Saul Loeb/afp
10/11 It wasn't until around 4:30 p.m., two and a half hours after the Capitol was stormed, that the National Guard was dispatched.
It is not known who ultimately approved this operation, which the Capitol Police had requested two hours earlier.
According to the official call list, Donald Trump did not make a single call from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The theory suggests that Mike Pence ultimately initiated the deployment of the National Guard.
At around 5:30 p.m., security forces pushed the mob out of the Capitol building.
© Olivier Douliery/afp
11 / 11The record of the Capitol storming on January 6th in Washington DC is devastating.
A total of ten people were killed, five of them police officers.
Four of those men committed suicide in the days after the storm.
140 other security officers and countless demonstrators were injured.
Legal proceedings against those involved in the uprising are still ongoing.
But none of that changes anything for Donald Trump.
To this day he has not accepted his electoral defeat and, since January 6, has not missed an opportunity to belittle the near collapse of democracy in the USA.
© Samuel Corum/afp