On Jan. 6, 2021,
Donald Trump supporters, in this case also
terrorists since they’re on in the same, were able to stroll into the Capitol in Washington as Congress was certifying the electoral votes that mean Joe Biden will take office on Jan. 20. As a Black man, watching the obvious double standard in how white people are policed versus people of color, today’s circus of political struggle was infuriating.
Almost immediately, the contrast was striking. While the protests after the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, as just one example, in 2020 were marred with suspect arrests and the brutalization of protesters, Trump’s flunkies were able to stroll into the Capitol wears America’s elected officials were convening.
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These terrorists were met with little resistance and soon enough were dispersed throughout the Capitol, forcing lawmakers to shelter in place in their offices as if a gunman was on the loose. Social media was soon enough littered with photos and video of MAGA acolytes trespassing in the offices of people like Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi as rioters also broke windows and waved the Confederate Flag in the building.
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Nevertheless, the police seemed to do their absolute best not to put hands on protesters. Many immediately noted that if these were people of color “protesting” they’d sure be catching batons upside their head, or worse. Pick any large Black Lives Matter protest this is obvious. The jig was particularly noted on Twitter, with hashtags like #whiteprivilege and #amerikkka trending that highlighted the obvious difference in policing tactics when it’s Black people peacefully protesting.
Throughout the day, hundreds of the rioters committed federal crimes. But reportedly,
only 13 people were actually arrested while the entire world witnessed all types of trespassing and vandalizing property, at least.
Perhaps the biggest show of disrespect to many (like say people have to worry about if they’ll make it home if a cop pulls them over), was the footage of what looked like a member of SWAT helping a “protester” in a Trump hat down the Capitol steps while gently holding her hand.
See more of the outrage and head-scratching (but not really) police behavior below. Whether you say “defund” or “reform” how the authorities deal with its citizens through the lens of systemic racism must be addressed, expeditiously.
