Five years on, the US Capitol still bears the scars of January 6, 2021, when a mob stormed the building, battling police and leaving five dead in its wake. The day's events continue to divide America, with President Donald Trump shifting blame onto the rioters themselves during a lengthy speech to House Republicans.
Trump, who was not at the Capitol that day, claimed he had intended for his supporters to "peacefully and patriotically" confront Congress as it certified Joe Biden's 2020 election victory. However, his words have been widely criticized, with Democrats accusing him of inciting violence.
In contrast, Democrats held a meeting at the Capitol, reuniting members of the House committee that investigated the January 6 attack. They recalled the events of that day to prevent what Rep. Jamie Raskin called the GOP's "Orwellian project of forgetting."
A group of Proud Boys, including Enrique Tarrio, who orchestrated the January 6 attack, gathered outside the Capitol to honor Trump supporter Ashli Babbitt and those who died in the siege. Over 100 people attended, including Babbitt's mother. The group is pushing for officials who investigated and prosecuted the rioters to be fired and prosecuted.
The White House released a new report on January 6, which highlighted the work of President Biden to free those charged and blamed Democrats for certifying Biden's election victory. However, this move has been met with criticism from lawmakers and experts, who argue that it undermines the rule of law.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries accused the Trump administration of lecturing the world about democracy while undermining the rule of law at home. He held a candlelight vigil outside the Capitol to mark the anniversary alongside lawmakers and family members of police officers.
Only few Republicans joined in the day's remembrances, with some questioning the delay in hanging a plaque honoring the police at the Capitol. The Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson claimed that the statute was "not implementable" and proposed alternatives.
Testimony from former US Capitol Police officer Winston Pingeon emphasized the need for unity and common ground. He described the chaos on January 6 as a moment where he thought he would die, but urged Americans to remember what happened.
Other witnesses included Pamela Hemphill, a rioter who refused Trump's pardon and apologized to the police officers she said saved her life, and former Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, who testified about his experiences investigating Trump's efforts to overturn Biden's win.
The Justice Department indicted Trump on four counts in a conspiracy to defraud voters with his claims of a rigged election in the run-up to January 6. Former Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith told lawmakers that the riot at the Capitol "does not happen" without Trump, but ended up abandoning the case once Trump was reelected president.
As the US continues to grapple with its democratic institutions and the threat of authoritarianism, the events of January 6 serve as a reminder of the importance of unity and accountability.
Trump, who was not at the Capitol that day, claimed he had intended for his supporters to "peacefully and patriotically" confront Congress as it certified Joe Biden's 2020 election victory. However, his words have been widely criticized, with Democrats accusing him of inciting violence.
In contrast, Democrats held a meeting at the Capitol, reuniting members of the House committee that investigated the January 6 attack. They recalled the events of that day to prevent what Rep. Jamie Raskin called the GOP's "Orwellian project of forgetting."
A group of Proud Boys, including Enrique Tarrio, who orchestrated the January 6 attack, gathered outside the Capitol to honor Trump supporter Ashli Babbitt and those who died in the siege. Over 100 people attended, including Babbitt's mother. The group is pushing for officials who investigated and prosecuted the rioters to be fired and prosecuted.
The White House released a new report on January 6, which highlighted the work of President Biden to free those charged and blamed Democrats for certifying Biden's election victory. However, this move has been met with criticism from lawmakers and experts, who argue that it undermines the rule of law.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries accused the Trump administration of lecturing the world about democracy while undermining the rule of law at home. He held a candlelight vigil outside the Capitol to mark the anniversary alongside lawmakers and family members of police officers.
Only few Republicans joined in the day's remembrances, with some questioning the delay in hanging a plaque honoring the police at the Capitol. The Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson claimed that the statute was "not implementable" and proposed alternatives.
Testimony from former US Capitol Police officer Winston Pingeon emphasized the need for unity and common ground. He described the chaos on January 6 as a moment where he thought he would die, but urged Americans to remember what happened.
Other witnesses included Pamela Hemphill, a rioter who refused Trump's pardon and apologized to the police officers she said saved her life, and former Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, who testified about his experiences investigating Trump's efforts to overturn Biden's win.
The Justice Department indicted Trump on four counts in a conspiracy to defraud voters with his claims of a rigged election in the run-up to January 6. Former Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith told lawmakers that the riot at the Capitol "does not happen" without Trump, but ended up abandoning the case once Trump was reelected president.
As the US continues to grapple with its democratic institutions and the threat of authoritarianism, the events of January 6 serve as a reminder of the importance of unity and accountability.
I'm kinda shocked how little progress has been made on the whole Capitol thing. Like, five years down the line and it's still super divided 
. Trump's blaming game is getting old, but at the same time, you can't deny that his words did fuel a lot of anger and aggression among some people. It's like, what's the real solution here? Are we gonna just keep talking about this stuff until we all agree on something or do we need to take concrete action to make sure something like this never happens again? 
meanwhile, democrats are calling him out for inciting violence & trying to move forward with unity and accountability 
it's a good reminder that we need to be more careful with our words and actions, especially when it comes to democracy 
the fact that trump is trying to shift the blame onto the rioters themselves is wild, like, come on, dude, you're not exactly in a position to talk about peaceful protests when you've been fueling all this chaos with your rhetoric 
. It's crazy to think about how much has changed (or not) in terms of the state of American politics 
. Trump's latest comments are just mind-boggling - who does he think he is, lecturing everyone on democracy while trying to shift blame onto his own supporters? 
. I'm also loving how some of the other witnesses are speaking out about their experiences - it's a great reminder that we need to listen to each other's perspectives and work towards unity 
. And can we please get some action on getting more security measures in place at the Capitol? It's time to put our country's democracy above partisan politics 
!
it's crazy how some ppl can get away with this kinda behavior and still manage to maintain a facade of innocence
I'm still trying to wrap my head around the latest developments on the US Capitol riot. Trump's speech was pretty cringeworthy, if you ask me - I mean, shifting blame onto the rioters himself? It sounds like he's trying to rewrite history 
. On a more positive note, it's great to see Democrats holding a meeting to discuss the events of that day and prevent what Rep. Raskin called the GOP's "Orwellian project of forgetting". 
.
. And can we please just get a plaque honoring the police at the Capitol already? 
. I think we can all agree that something needs to change, though - we can't keep ignoring the fact that our democratic institutions are under attack 
. It's sad to see how divided we are over this stuff, but I'm hopeful that we can find common ground and start healing as a country 
.
. The thing is, I don't know if it's even possible for someone like him to genuinely believe in "peaceful" protests when they're always so divisive 
. On one hand, it's awesome that Democrats are keeping the memory of January 6 alive and working to prevent the GOP from erasing history 
... but on another hand, I'm not convinced that some folks, like Trump, won't just keep pushing for more drama & controversy 
it just goes to show how out of touch trump is with reality
we need more accountability for people in power who are willing to compromise our democracy. and it's especially important to remember the importance of unity and common ground 
. Five years on from that chaotic day at the Capitol, we're still dealing with the aftermath and trying to figure out how to move forward as a nation. It's sad to see the damage done by some individuals who just want to stir up trouble and manipulate others for their own gain.
. And let's be real, the whole 'Orwellian project of forgetting' thing? Sounds way too convenient to me 
.
The whole thing still feels so raw and emotional, you know? Like it's been five years but it still feels like yesterday... I remember watching it all go down on TV and feeling so shocked and scared 
. The White House trying to shift the blame onto Democrats is just a big ol' mess 
. I feel like we're still in the midst of this whole thing and it's crazy how little progress we've made