Editor’s Note: The writer of this piece stayed safely at a distance from the crowd and therefore was unaware that some of the protestors became rioters who stormed the Capitol, ransacked the House and Senate chambers and other spaces, were heard to be seeking Pence and Pelosi to punish them, caused five deaths and otherwise engaged in terrorism.
Washington D.C. on January 6, 2021 (Photo – Melissa Michelson)
I was in Washington D.C. this week and decided to check out the “StopTheSteal” protest at the U.S. Capitol the day Congress certified the Electoral College results.
By Melissa Michelson
I had no idea what to expect. Armed with a double face-mask and my phone camera, I set out to the Capitol.
I started at the back of the building where I saw people waving and wearing Trump flags, listening to a Trump recording on WiFi speakers, and generally milling about. Out of COVID concerns, I kept my distance from individuals – 95% of them unmasked — and noticed the barriers separating the crowd from the Capitol building. Some listened to the proceedings in Congress on WiFi speakers and cheered and booed accordingly. We could see Congresspeople arriving and entering at the ground level. I didn’t care to go close to the steps, so my observations are from far away.
“Area Closed” signs totally ignored (Photo – Melissa Michelson)
About an hour later I noticed the crowd was up on the steps. I was in awe at how loud they chanted “Stop the Steal,” and surprised that they had seemed to have free rein of the area. I decided to go around to the front. On my way around the south side to the front, I heard three booms to my left, then saw a small exodus of people coming around the building from the front to the back, walking in a netted-off area that had “Area Closed” signs on it. Those signs were completely ignored.
About twenty or so protestors started running in my direction. I think that they had been tear-gassed because my eyes started to burn. A slew of police officers on foot and bike headed to the front of the building (see playlist of videos). Others started yelling at the police saying they were traitors. I saw one young supporter wearing a gas mask and holding a walkie-talkie, his red MAGA cap strapped to his pants.
I made my way to the front where the majority of the crowd was gathered. On the ground, it felt like a carnival with no rides. There were people dressed in outfits ranging from military gear to an Uncle Sam costume on stilts. They took selfies and complained to each other about the election. There was no obvious police presence. There was no obvious organizing effort.
“It felt like a carnival with no rides” (Photo – Melissa Michelson)
Water to ward off the crowd
People were in trees and standing on structures to get a better view. No one told them to get down. I noticed a metal barricade wide open, as if it didn’t even exist. At one point, I saw water being sprayed on the right side of the steps to ward off the mob. People were already on the other side of the steps.
By that time, I had seen enough. There didn’t seem to be any point, other than a public demonstration of disapproval. I left to see how far down the Mall the crowd extended and noted it was only about half a block. At around 3:00 pm, I got a 6:00 pm curfew notice texted to my phone; many started to leave. That night, Congress completed the certification.
The next morning
The next morning at 11:00 am, I went back. It was a completely different scene. All the people were gone, but now riot walls were put up. Police were patrolling, and they wouldn’t let the looky-loos, bicyclists or media crews cross the barriers. We had to walk all the way around. I asked a police officer why they weren’t there the day before. In an exasperated tone, he said he didn’t know. A Trump supporter also asked him why the barriers hadn’t been up, and the supporter said the violence that occurred was a conspiracy to make Trump look bad. I heard another Trump supporter claiming that Antifa was responsible for what happened, and that the protest was peaceful without any problems down on the ground.
The National Guard now patrolled the Capitol.
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