On January 6th, 2021, pro-Trump rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol, sparking a wave of destruction and intense emotion across the nation. The Capitol was vandalized and damaged by the angry mob, while lawmakers had to be quickly rushed to safety.
The rioters terrorized the Capitol building, a monumental symbol of democracy, in an attempt to overturn the election. The riot occurred as lawmakers were discussing results of the electoral college, which would confirm then President-elect Joe Biden as the winner.
Live footage of the insurrection showed the mob fighting against police officers and forcefully invading the building. The crowd infiltrated the Capitol with guns, Trump campaign flags, and Confederate flags. While inside the building, rioters raided Senators’ offices, and most notably, ransacked House speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office. The armed rioters went through the building with flags and many posed for pictures in offices and halls; various items were stolen, including Nancy Pelosi’s laptop and podium. Additionally, the police found two pipe bombs: one outside the Democratic National Committee and another outside the Republican National Committee.
At the end of the night, authorities were able to regain control of the Capitol building. Heavily-armed officers were brought in as reinforcements and deployed tear-gas to push the mob out of the Capitol. This violent protest resulted in the loss of four lives, sixty-nine arrests, and fourteen injuries of DC police officers.
The next day, January 7th, Upper School advisors and many faculty members set aside time to discuss the developments. Teachers discussed the events that took place, what led up to the riot, and how students felt. During these discussions, students recognized that all U.S. citizens had the obligation to peacefully respect election results regardless of political stance and examined the exhibition of white privilege through these riots.
Many students felt the government should have done something sooner. In Ms. Krouse’s History class, she showed videos to emphasize the gravity of the riots in historical context. Ms. Krouse said that her class “had good discussions on whether or not it was something Trump incited.” In Mr. Freedland’s class, students discussed their feelings on the destruction of the U.S. Capitol and expressed confusion as to why people would choose to commit such a violent act. Mr. Freedland discussed the long period of time it would take for America to understand and process this attack on democracy.
Overall, the riots marked an unprecedented moment in U.S. history. Many Americans continue to process and mourn the lives that were lost. The riots were a shock to all, but despite this tragedy, many people maintain a positive outlook on the new year.
