The Capitol was barricaded to avoid reliving the trauma of January 6, when pro-Trump activists broke into it
The Capitol was the subject of heavy security measures in Washington on Friday on the eve of a demonstration in support of supporters of Donald Trump arrested for participating in the violent assault on the headquarters of the United States Congress on January 6.
On the night of September 15, city officials put up large fences.
AFP
A high barrier was erected in the square around the imposing building topped by a white dome and the police planned to close the surrounding roads as early as Friday evening, fearing overflows. Unlike January 6, Congress will not be in session and parliamentarians will therefore not be inside when the demonstrators meet at noon on Saturday near this enclosure, under the slogan “Justice for J6” ( Justice for January 6).
On January 6, the elected officials had to be evacuated urgently in the face of the advance of the rioters.
AFP
The authorities expect that around 700 demonstrators will respond to the appeal of the organization “Look Ahead America”, which wants to denounce “the tyrannical and inhuman treatment of political prisoners on January 6”. Organizers asked attendees not to wear political signs, including “in support of President Trump or President Biden.”
The trauma of January 6
The police are “much better prepared” than on January 6, had estimated the leader of the Democrats in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, at the beginning of the week after a meeting with the police. They will give a press conference on Friday at 1 p.m. On January 6, thousands of Donald Trump supporters gathered outside the White House to listen to whoever was still president.
Then several hundred of them, crying out fraud during the presidential election in November, won by Joe Biden, had forced the entry of the Capitol while the parliamentarians, in the presence of Vice-President Mike Pence, certified the victory of the Democrat .
Acquitted after an impeachment trial for incitement to violence carried out in Congress after the insurgency, Donald Trump still claims, without any evidence, that the election was rigged and defends the arrested protesters.