The invasion of the U.S. Capitol was discussed for weeks in plain sight.
We reviewed scores of social media posts — many of them public — welcoming violence leading up to Wednesday’s attack.
See for yourself 👇
We reviewed scores of social media posts — many of them public — welcoming violence leading up to Wednesday’s attack.
See for yourself 👇
More than a week ago, the founder of the #StoptheSteal movement encouraged people to bring tents and sleeping bags and avoid wearing masks for the event.
“If D.C. escalates… so do we,” he wrote.
“If D.C. escalates… so do we,” he wrote.
But far-right supporters of President Donald Trump had been rallying on social media and saying the election had been stolen even weeks *before* that.
They openly discussed the idea of violent protest on the day Congress met to certify the result.
They openly discussed the idea of violent protest on the day Congress met to certify the result.
On Dec. 12, a poster on the website MyMilitia.com urged violence if senators made Joe Biden’s victory official.
“If this does not change, then I advocate, Revolution and adherence to the rules of war,” they wrote.
“I say, take the hill or die trying.”
“If this does not change, then I advocate, Revolution and adherence to the rules of war,” they wrote.
“I say, take the hill or die trying.”
On Dec. 13, Todd A. Slee suggested the rally should be taken seriously. “Some of the old timers, who don’t get easily rattled, say it’s coming,” he wrote. “We’d best be ready.”
“It’s already apparent that literally millions of Americans are on the verge of activating their Second Amendment duty to defeat tyranny and save the republic,” wrote another person.
By late December, leaders of the Stop the Steal movement were texting supporters.
“We came up with the idea to occupy just outside the CAPITOL on Jan 6th,” says a message from Dec. 23.
“We came up with the idea to occupy just outside the CAPITOL on Jan 6th,” says a message from Dec. 23.
The warnings of Wednesday’s assault on the Capitol were everywhere.
When Jan. 6 rolled around, thousands of people came prepared to fight: propublica.org/article/capito…
When Jan. 6 rolled around, thousands of people came prepared to fight: propublica.org/article/capito…
For reasons that remain unclear, the law enforcement authorities charged with protecting the nation’s entire legislative branch did not seem prepared to contain the forces massed against them:
- Police struggled with flimsy barricades as a mob in helmets and bulletproof vests pushed its way toward the Capitol entrance.
- Videos showed officers stepping aside, and sometimes taking selfies, as if to usher Trump’s supporters into the building they were supposed to guard.
- Videos showed officers stepping aside, and sometimes taking selfies, as if to usher Trump’s supporters into the building they were supposed to guard.
Larry Schaefer, a former Capitol policeman well-versed in his agency’s procedures, was mystified by the scene he watched unfold on live television.
“It’s not a spur-of-the-moment demonstration that just popped up,” he said.
“It’s not a spur-of-the-moment demonstration that just popped up,” he said.
Schaefer added: “We have a planned, known demonstration that has a propensity for violence in the past and threats to carry weapons — why would you not prepare yourself as we have done in the past?”
A spokesperson for the Capitol Police did not respond to @ProPublica’s request for comment.
Read more: propublica.org/article/capito…
Read more: propublica.org/article/capito…
Some of our current investigations are highly relevant to what the nation saw yesterday.
Sign up to get notified as soon as we publish them: propublica.org/newsletters/th…
Sign up to get notified as soon as we publish them: propublica.org/newsletters/th…
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