Four years past, the hallowed halls of Congress were overrun by a vast number of American individuals in a tumultuous effort to derail the peaceful transition of power. This event, known as the Capitol Riot, was a staggering departure from the tradition of election certification that’s scheduled for this January 6. While Congress gears up to officially validate the electoral votes and announce President-elect Donald Trump as the rightful victor on Monday, the striking events that unfolded during the 2021 attack have been relegated to the background for quite a few. However, for many others, it remains a poignant testament to a stained chapter of American democracy.
Interestingly, Monday’s certification is happening against the backdrop of the relentless crusade by Trump and his advocates to rewrite the legitimate narrative surrounding the shocking incidents at the Capitol in 2021. In the immediate aftermath of the riot, Trump termed it a ‘horrific assault,’ only for his denunciation to swiftly fade into oblivion. By October of last year, he was lauding the siege as a ‘day of warmth.’
It’s rather intriguing, drawing parallels between the chaos of that January event with the short-lived, systematic formalities slated for Monday at the Capitol. The ritual of certifying the Electoral College’s vote is typically an uneventful ceremony – a stark contrast to the bedlam of 2021. The House and Senate, set to hold a joint session, will have Vice President Kamala Harris at the helm. The chambers will delegate tellers to tally the votes, consider any potential objections, and then, formally reveal the victor.
In an appraisal of previous events, it took a mere 36 minutes to issue Barack Obama as president in 2009. In 2013, his reelection was validated in just 22 minutes. The year 2017 witnessed Trump’s triumph being ratified within 41 minutes. However, in 2021, when a tumultuous crowd usurped control of the Capitol complex, a striking 14 hours and 48 minutes were required to crown Joe Biden as the successful candidate.
The aftermath of the insurrection has seen a cumulative 1,500 people indicted over the passing years, with the FBI reportedly making up to 30 arrests each month. However, it’s noticeable that certain right-leaning factions have embarked on a mission to manipulate the narrative of this insurrection. A Republican representative arguably dismissed it as akin to ‘an average tourist encounter.’ Other voices notable for their right-leaning politics pathetically attempted to label the rioters as respectful.
Trump dubiously labeled the individuals implicated in the riot as ‘political captives’ and admired them as patriots. He ostensibly pledged to commence pardoning them the moment he attains power again on January 20. What’s more alarming, as per approximations, is that around 10,000 individuals breached the police barriers to invade Capitol grounds on January 6 of 2021. Out of these, roughly 2,000 rioters successfully infiltrated the Capitol building.
A tragic toll of four deaths was reported, one of which was a demonstrator who was shot in her attempt to track down the retreating lawmakers. A Capitol police officer lost his life due to strokes the following day. Four other officers have since tragically opted for suicide. Material injuries were sustained by more than 150 officers, many of which are permanent in nature.
The upcoming event, scheduled for Monday, January 6, is expected to be a far cry from the riotous scenes of the previous election certification. Vice President Harris, serving as the president of the Senate, is set to be the focal point again. However, this time she will be officiating her own electoral defeat, a spectacle unparalleled in recent times. To delve further into the details, let’s retrospect on what transpired on January 6, 2021.