Members of far-right groups. Former police officers. An Olympic gold medalist swimmer. And active-duty Marines. They are part of the hundreds convicted in these three years for the violent assault on the Capitol, in Washington, on January 6, 2021.
On that day, a stunned nation watched on its televisions as a coup attempt unfolded in the United States promoted by Trumpist fanatics. Those images will be repeated in large numbers this Saturday on the anniversary of the anniversary. And many will look to justice.
The federal courthouse in Washington continues to be flooded with trials, plea hearings and sentences stemming from what has become the largest criminal investigation in the country's history.
The search for suspects is far from over. "We cannot replace votes and deliberation with violence and intimidation," Matthew Graves, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, told reporters Thursday.
Authorities are still working to identify more than 80 people wanted for violence at the Capitol and to find out who planted pipe bombs in front of the offices of the Republican and Democratic national committees the day before the attack on the Capitol building. And they continue to make new arrests.
The cases are playing out in the same court where Donald Trump is scheduled to stand trial in March in the case accusing the former president of conspiring to overturn his 2020 election loss. The assault on the Capitol sought to prevent Joe Biden's congressional consecration.
A march of opponents of Donald Trump, this Friday in demand of democracy and justice, in front of the Capitol, in Washington. Photo: AP
Former president accused of insurrection
That day, in the morning, a large group of ultranationalist demonstrators gathered in a public park to listen to speeches by the outgoing president and his son Donald Trump Jr.
The president repeated his insistent narrative that he had won the November election against Democrat Biden, but the result had been stolen from him. He never provided proof, not even in that speech in which he encouraged his fans whom he "asked to fight like hell because if they don't they will not have a country." And he incited them to move.
"I know that everyone here will soon march to the Capitol building to make their voices heard peacefully and patriotically. Today we will see if Republicans stand firm for the integrity of our elections," he added.
That was the only time he mentioned the word "peacefully." In contrast, he used the word "fight" 14 times, said investigators who accuse him of insurrection.
Tension and four deaths
The protesters, whom Trump described as "patriots," eventually entered the building, breached security and eventually occupied the Senate chamber that was evacuated. A violent fight ensued. In those clashes, a protester was shot by law enforcement inside the building and died. Three other militants also died of gunshot wounds.
Donald Trump supporters, waving flags and defiantly inside the Capitol, during the January 2021 takeover. Photo: AFP
The disaster was huge and is considered the first concrete coup attempt in the United States with the intention of keeping Trump in power. It was his vice president, Mike Pence, who managed to save the Republic and defended Biden's legitimate victory in the chamber, a gesture that the New York tycoon never forgave him: "He didn't do what he was supposed to do," he said.
More than 1,230 people have been charged with federal crimes during the riot, ranging from misdemeanors such as trespassing to felonies such as assault on police officers and seditious conspiracy. Only two defendants have been acquitted of all charges.
Some 750 people have been convicted, and nearly two-thirds have received some time behind bars. Prison sentences range from a few days of intermittent confinement to 22 years. The longest sentence was imposed on Enrique Tarrio, the former national president of the ultranationalist Proud Boys who was convicted of seditious conspiracy, which prosecutors described as a plot to prevent Biden's inauguration.
Many rioters have already been released from prison after serving their sentences, including some accused of violent acts.
Defense attorneys and prosecutors are closely following a case that will soon escalate to the Supreme Court. It's the testimony of one of these fanatics accused of obstruction. It's important because it's the same charge brought against Trump by special counsel Jack Smith.
Several defendants also fled after being charged, including a member of Florida's Proud Boys who disappeared while under house arrest.
The FBI is still searching for some defendants who have been on the run for months, including a pair of brothers from that state. There is another leader of those groups, Evan Neumann, who simply fled the country in December 2021 and is believed to live in Belarus, a country allied with Vladimir Putin, the Russian autocrat with a fluid relationship with Trump.
Source: The Associated Press