| USA TODAY
US Capitol leaves in disarray after pro-Trump rioters removed
Christal Hayes of the USA TODAY shows what it looks like inside the American Capitol after pro-Trump rioters who stormed the historic building were cleared.
USA TODAY
The claim: Images show police presence during Black Lives Matter demonstrations compared to Capitol riots
When lawmakers met on Jan. 6 to ratify President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College over President Donald Trump, a pro-Trump mob riot broke into security at the U.S. Capitol, climbing scaffolding and breaking into congressional offices.
As the events unfolded, many shared on social media images pretending to show the clear separation between law enforcement’s handling of the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020 compared to the Trump supporters who stormed the Capitol violently.
“Just a reminder, the first image was the safety of the capital during a Black Lives Matter protest,” reads a Facebook message on January 6 with more than 800 shares. “The second is from today.”
The report contains two photos: one showing a heavy presence of National Guard troops allegedly located on the steps of the U.S. Capitol, and the second attempting to deter Capitol police on Jan. 6.
“Capitol building during BLM vs Capitol building today …”, reads another report with 150,000 shares. In this version of the claim, the image of the National Guard is compared to a photograph of rioters on the steps of the Capitol.
USA TODAY directed both users for comment.
Fact check: Joe Biden condemns left-wing protest-related violence
Image not taken at the Capitol
The first picture in the social media posts does show the troops of the National Guard of the District of Columbia stationed, but at the Lincoln Memorial, not at the Capitol building, as is claimed in the posts. The photo was taken on June 2 and posted on Twitter by ABC News correspondent Martha Raddatz.
A similar photo taken on June 2 is visible on Getty Images with the caption: ‘Members of the DC National Guard stand on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial while protesters take part in a peaceful protest against police’s brutality and the death of George Floyd on June 2nd. , 2020 in Washington, DC. “
The appearance of the troops in the summer came when activists from Black Lives Matter led protests across the country over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died when a police officer nearly nine minutes a knee to his neck held.
Trump has ordered complicated response to the racial justice protests, saying he has the authority to send federal troops into states under the 1807 Insurrection Act, even if local authorities do not request it, USA TODAY reports.
Then-Attorney General William Barr said Trump requested that he coordinate the federal response to law enforcement in June as protests become more aggressive. Trump has threatened to deploy active troops to “dominate” the streets where protests have turned violent, according to US TODAY.
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser has rejected offers of help from the governors of at least four states, a U.S. spokesman said in June. Bowser was against the expansion of the federal presence and warned authorities to return.
At the time, officials in 31 states activated a total of 30,000 members of the national guard to help state and local law enforcement officers deal with civil unrest.
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Police response to BLM protests
The activation during the summer took place when protesters vandalized monuments in Washington, including the Lincoln Memorial, World War II Memorial and the statue of Brigadier General Casimir Pulaski in Freedom Plaza, according to photos shared by the National Park Service.
A report by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project analyzed 7,750 Black Lives Matter protests in all 50 states and Washington, DC, between May 26 and August 22, and identified 220 locations where protests turned violent.
“The vast majority of demonstration events associated with the BLM movement are non-violent,” the report said. “In more than 93% of all demonstrations related to the movement, protesters did not take part in violence or destructive activities. Peaceful protests are reported in more than 2,400 different places in the country.”
During the Black Lives Matter protests last summer, more than 500 people were arrested in one day in Los Angeles and 100 people were arrested over a three-day period in Minneapolis, USA, TODAY. Dozens of people in other cities across the country were arrested in one night.
Data from Bellingcat and Forensic Architecture show that there were at least 950 cases of police brutality against civilians and journalists during the five-month period during Black Lives Matter protests, reports The Guardian. Police used tear gas, rubber bullets and batons.
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Capitol police response comparison
In the viral post, the second image was taken of rioters clashing with the Capitol police Reuters photographer Leah Mills.
“On January 6, supporters of President Trump clashed with police officers outside the US Capitol building in Washington,” reads the caption.
As rioters stormed the building and hundreds stormed the Capitol, only a small group of police stood outside, the USA reported TODAY.
When rioters started climbing the sides of the buildings, police apparently withdrew and tried to secure one section outside, but according to reporters at the scene, they were quickly overwhelmed.
On videos and images shared on social media, people in DC Capitol showed Police jackets removing obstacles, and one officer apparently posing for selfies with those who violated the Capitol. Other videos of the scene show officers slowly escorting people out of the building, USA reported TODAY.
Vice President Mike Pence helped facilitate the decision to mobilize members of the DC National Guard, a move Trump initially avoided, according to CNN.
Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller announced in a statement this afternoon that the DC National Guard has been fully activated “to assist federal and local law enforcement officers as they work to address the situation peacefully.”
By nightfall, officers began using tear gas and percussion grenades to clean up crowds ahead of the 18:00 evening clock set by Bowser, which called for a limited deployment of the national guard before the protests to assist the Metropolitan Police Service.
DC Police Chief Robert Contee said police made more than 60 arrests on Wednesday, including 41 at the U.S. Capitol site, and four people were killed, the U.S. reported TODAY.
Fact check: Joe Biden condemns left-wing protest-related violence
Our rating: Missing context
The allegation that images show the police’s response to Black Lives Matter protests compared to the Capitol mob, MISSING CONTEXT Based on our research. Both images used in the claim are authentic, but the first image shows the national guard at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial after it was vandalized, not at the Capitol. Reports indicate that protesters met with more violence and arrests during the protests that took place during the summer compared to the January riot at the Capitol.
Our sources for fact checking:
- Martha Raddatz, 2 June 2020, tweet
- Getty Images, June 2, 2020, “US cities make damage if riots continue across the country”
- USA TODAY, June 5, 2020, “National Guard troops are pouring into DC for George Floyd protests, but who’s in charge?”
- USA TODAY, June 18, 2020, “Follow protests across the US after the death of George Floyd”
- National Park Service, 31 May 2020, tknow
- The Armed Forces Conflict and Event Data Project, Consulted on January 7, US Crisis Monitor
- USA TODAY, January 7, “‘Double standard’: black lawmakers and activists reject police response to attack on US capital”
- Bellingcat and Forensic Architecture, visit on January 7, Police Brutality at the BLM protests
- Reuters, January 7, “Swarms of Trump supporters storm US Capitol”
- CNN, Jan. 7, “Pence took the lead as Trump initially resisted sending the National Guard to the Capitol”
- Department of Defense, January 6, “Statement by Acting Secretary Miller on the full activation of DC National Guard”
- Associated Press, January 4, “DC Mayor calls in National Guard for pro-Trump protests”
- USA TODAY, January 7, “DC riots live updates: Trump condemns, police defend action, city stunned after violent Capitol siege”
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