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The contrast between the reaction of law enforcement to the assault on the Capitol on Wednesday and the suppression of peaceful protests in the summer is not just stark, it is black and white.
The crowd of Black Lives Matter protesters outside the White House on June 1 was one block from the building and did not attempt to breach its security. It was a mostly black crowd, and it was charged by a force comprised of the Washington police, the US Park police, more than 5,000 National Guard soldiers, and federal agencies like the Bureau of Prisons. An army helicopter swooped on the heads of the protesters. Tear gas, canes and horses were used to clear a block so Donald Trump could set up a photoshoot outside a church across the street. A national guard commander later admitted that there had been “excessive use of force”.
The events in Lafayette Park in June 2020 represented a defining moment of Trump’s presidency. It will also do so on January 6, 2021. The mob that stormed the headquarters of American democracy on Wednesday had spoken openly about that plan, had the explicit intention of overturning a fair election and some had hinted that they might carry weapons. Most of them were white. Many were openly white supremacists, yet the thin Capitol police collapsed in their path.
It is unknown why there was no further show of force in front of the Capitol building, given all that was known about the Trump supporters’ plans. In the summer, the national guard of several states parked armored vehicles on the streets of Washington and stood in tight lines in bulletproof vests on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, all before the protests calling for the law to be respected and for end impunity. for the police murder of black Americans.
The deployment before the January 6 riots was much lighter. After the Mayor of Washington, Muriel Bowser, made a request, 340 guards were activated in advance, of which 115 were on duty at the same time, mainly helping direct traffic. The DC and Virginia National Guard were only deployed in significant numbers after the Capitol was breached.
One big difference was that Trump was pushing the rollout in June. He was silent Wednesday, apparently unwilling to place troops on his own supporters. The New York Times reported that he resisted calling the national guard. The deployment was eventually ordered by the acting Secretary of Defense, Christopher Miller.
Above: Donald Trump supporters collide with police officers in front of the Capitol building in Washington DC on Wednesday. Photograph by Leah Millis / Reuters
Left: A pro-Trump protester is treated by a police officer as he suffers the effects of chemical agents used to disperse the ravens after protesters stormed the Capitol grounds on January 6, 2021 in Washington, DC. Jon Cherry / Getty Images Right: In this June 1, 2020 file photo, protesters, who had gathered to protest George Floyd’s death, as police cleared the street near the White House in Washington. Floyd died after being immobilized by Minneapolis police officers. Photograph by Evan Vucci / AP
Left: A pro-Trump rioter is tended to by a police officer as he suffers the effects of chemical agents used to disperse crowds after rioters stormed the Capitol grounds Wednesday. Photograph by Jon Cherry / Getty Images Right: On June 1, police clear the street near the White House as protesters demonstrate against the death of George Floyd. Floyd died after being immobilized by Minneapolis police officers. Photograph by Evan Vucci / AP
Left: Supporters of United States President Donald J. Trump in the Capitol Rotunda after violating Capitol security in Washington, DC, United States, January 6, 2021. Photo by Jim Lo Scalzo / EPA Right: A A protester raises his hand near a line of National Guard soldiers deployed near the White House on June 1, 2020 as protests continue against the death of George Floyd. Photograph by Roberto Schmidt / AFP via Getty
Left: Trump supporters gather in the Capitol Rotunda after breaching security Wednesday. Photograph by Jim Lo Scalzo / EPA Right: A protester raises her hand near a line of National Guard troops near the White House on June 1, as protests continue against the death of George Floyd. Photograph by Roberto Schmidt / AFP via Getty