The day that democracy in the US came under attack4 min read
Reading Time: 3 minutesA week ago, the world watched as something awful yet historic happened in Washington DC, in the US. On January 6, a group of angry and violent people marched to the United States Capitol, also called the Capitol Building, to hold a protest against the 2020 defeat of President Donald Trump.
The Capitol is the place where the Congress, or legislative branch of the US government, meets. Sounds complicated? Let’s break it down.
Decision-makers
The legislative branch of the government is the body that is in charge of making all laws, and can even declare war, among other important duties.
So why did this mob attack the Capitol? This group, upset over the loss of Trump, decided to stall the process of officially announcing the victory of Joe Biden, the next US President. They are of the opinion that Biden shouldn’t have won, and that Trump lost due to the miscounting of votes.
Owliver’s Obscure Facts
Donald Trump is currently the ‘sitting’ President of the United States. Does that mean he’s sitting around and waiting till the next President takes over? Well, not quite. A ‘sitting’ president or member of parliament is the official term for someone who is not going to be in the same post in the future, nor has she/he held that post in the past.
Called one of the biggest security breaches of all time in the US, the angry mob occupied, looted and vandalised the building for many hours. This led to an evacuation, as well as a lockdown in the area. Apart from that, several people were injured, including police officers!
Four hours after the breach, officials announced that the protestors had been cleared out of the building and the Capitol was secure once again.
But what led to the attack in the first place?
Hours before the rioters stormed the Capitol, large crowds of Trump supporters had already filled the streets to protest against the certification of Biden’s win. A rally hosted by Trump at a park near the White House was held earlier that day, after which his supporters started to march towards the Capitol.
What’s happening now?
Leaders in the US, as well as others around the world, have blamed Trump for the violence, saying he was the one who instructed this mob to attack the building. Now, many legislators, or lawmakers, are calling for Trump’s immediate removal from the President’s post. Though he has just a week left before Biden becomes the next President, legislators feel Trump should be removed immediately after the violence.
Trump was also suspended permanently from Twitter, and from Facebook and Instagram until further notice.
While the Capitol Building has been cleared and work is back on track, many of those who protested have been arrested or have cases filed against them. Some are even losing their jobs for being associated with the event.
Owliver’s Obscure Facts
The Capitol was last breached when British forces invaded it during the War of 1812!
Sources: Wikipedia, Indian Express, CNN
Photos: AP, Getty Images, Reuters
