![]() 6 was."īrian Levin, director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism, said the criminals who rioted were at the Capitol for purposes far from tourism. Those types of things happen during insurrections, which is what Jan. "Typical Capitol tourists don’t smash windows, loot offices, or deface Capitol property. "Normal Capitol visits don’t include individuals armed with zip ties, bear spray, and blunt objects," or violent clashes with police, said Michael Jensen, principal investigator at the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism at the University of Maryland. The Justice Department’s database of charges shows several defendants charged with offenses related to deadly or dangerous weapons, and a few were charged with offenses related to firearm possession. But video shows the mob used makeshift weapons including hockey sticks, flagpoles and a police shield stolen from an officer. Reports of the number of weapons confiscated are likely an undercount of the weapons people brought to the Capitol. Another rioter used a metal flagpole to attack a police officer. Some of the rioters grabbed a police officer, dragged him and struck him in the head and body with various objects, according to charging documents. Some people at the riot were associated with other extremist or white supremacist groups. Some members of the group were seen wearing earpieces and walkie-talkie style communication devices. The fact that people weren't seen committing violence on camera during that particular moment doesn’t make it a tourist visit.Ĭourt documents outlining conspiracy charges show members of the Proud Boys, a far right group, posted messages on social media discussing plans to show up on Jan. The journalists speaking in the report note that these people had breached the Capitol and hadn’t gone through security. 6, shortly after the Capitol was breached. None of these actions are things that tourists normally do at the Capitol.Ĭlyde’s spokesperson emailed us a video from NBC of people who were walking through Statuary Hall snapping photos or videos at about 2:30 p.m. One put his feet up on a desk in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office and left her a nasty note. They caused the House and Senate to shut down for several hours on the day they were certifying the presidential election. They chanted "Hang Mike Pence!" They attacked police officers. They forced their way through barricades and past law enforcement to breach the building. And they do it all without bringing in weapons (or even water). The Capitol Visitor Center remains closed due to the pandemic, but here is what a normal visit looks like for tourists: They go on guide-led tours of historic areas. Clyde’s comparison of the breach of the Capitol to a "normal tourist visit" is a ridiculous assertion.
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