22 ms·

Police found pickup truck full of bombs and guns near Capitol

99 points by loopz 6y ago

deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
loopz 6y ago
Also found this interesting use of push-based communications tech: Republican AGs group sent robocalls urging march to the Capitol https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/republican-ags-group-sent-robocalls-urging-march-capitol-n1253581 https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/republican-ags-group-se...
waihtis 6y ago
It was a terribly bad idea for the major tech platforms to go for the Trump ban right now. There’s a highy unstable force out there born specifically from the idea that they’re an oppressed and censored group of people, and this ban action is pouring a tanker of gasoline into an already raging bonfire. I get why it had to be done; the general public has never had any regard for second-order effects and big tech will hardly risk their market cap. However, the big threat now is that these people will go out with a bang - literally.
- chipgap98 6y ago
  I think that was already a big risk. I don't think the Twitter ban is going to change anything other than taking away a platform that is being used to spread misinformation, anger, and fear
  - stefanwlb 6y ago
    It is a big change. Many, including him, are moving over to Parlor, where they aren't going to be censored by the MSM brainwash machine.
- tartaglia 6y ago
  I agree about the bad timing. They could have kept the accounts on, assigning a task force to review each post until 20th Jan. It looks to me like a symbolic gesture which is gonna fuel conspiracies and anger. I mean, the presidential account is still on so the guy is still able to tweet.
  - mkr-hn 6y ago
    He tried. He's burned through quite a few accounts trying to tweet.
  - Miner49er 6y ago
    They have banned the presidential account as well.
  - waihtis 6y ago
    Exactly so. It would've been the smartest to clip the head off once the most momentum would have been blown off. That could've choked the entire movement. The fact that I was heavily downvoted and flagged for stating the opinion speaks enough about what kind of knee-jerk reactions people are taking towards Trumpistas.
- pjc50 6y ago
  Other way round: they've been talking this stuff up for decades. This is just the continuation of Waco and Ruby Ridge and Malheur and those guys who tried to kidnap a governor and the guy who blew up a telephone exchange and a dozen ""lone wolf"" mass shooters. And the "killdozer" guy. Eventually all the thousands of ""lone wolves"" who share the same ideas and politics and gun suppliers were going to get together. They're angry. They're always angry, that's their politics. Social media, talk radio, and the Republican party have been stoking that anger with lies. I agree that it's impossible to completely cut off the conduit of lies, but something has to be done - and deplatforming works. One of them was a retired USAF senior officer: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9128637/MAGA-mob-rioter-dressed-combat-gear-carrying-zip-ties-Texas-Air-Force-veteran.html https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9128637/MAGA-mob-ri... That's not an oppressed and censored person, that's a power hungry person trying to conduct his own little military coup.
  - sparks1970 6y ago
    A note that the Daily Mail is not considered a reliable news source by Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Reliable_sources/Perennial_sources https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Reliable_sources/Per...). There is a similar link from the New Yorker which is considered a reliable source: https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/an-air-force-combat-veteran-breached-the-senate https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/an-air-force-combat...
  - spinny 6y ago
    deplatforming works - words of a true fascist
  - retox 6y ago
    >This is just the continuation of Waco and Ruby Ridge You clearly don't know very much about the facts of either of those events. I suggest you do some reading.
    - deleted 6y ago
      [deleted]
    - 6y ago
buran77 6y ago
> Another man allegedly showed up in the nation's capital with an assault rifle and hundreds of rounds of ammunition and told acquaintances that he wanted to shoot or run over House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, prosecutors said. Wonder if this is what makes lawmakers consider some sensible gun regulation...
- pjc50 6y ago
  Every time gun regulation is brought up, conservatives claim the 2nd amendment is quite clear that guns are for revolution and that armed insurrection is somehow constitutional. I think we're now seeing the logical conclusion of that. You may well be right; senior dems have been too friendly with republicans as individuals for too long. Nothing ends that friendship like discovering them cheering on the people calling for your execution.
  - newacct583 6y ago
    I hate that this is downvoted, because it's so clearly true. There is a heavily armed, deeply mistrustful subculture in this country that has been TRAINED by its leaders (including most of the now-minority party) that it is going to need to overthrow the government someday. And they tried. Last Wednesday. What happens when they succeed? Now, to be fair: I don't think guns (as machines) are the core problem here. Removing the guns doesn't remove the domestic terrorists. But nonetheless gun culture is part and parcel of the right wing terror we just saw, and that needs to be fixed.
    - OminousWeapons 6y ago
      I think what you mean by "gun culture" is more "tacticool culture" which interests a sub set of firearms owners. I agree that this is a problematic culture, but it's not the dominant culture. A large number if not most gun owners including myself own firearms for lawful self defense, hunting, sport, or job related duties (eg ranching, security) and have no interest in running around in plate armor or joining a militia. While I acknowledge that my firearms could help me if a revolution were to break out, that is not why I bought them, it's not what I'm interested in, and I sincerely hope to never have to use them in that context. It is worth noting that by constantly demonizing all gun owners as bad people and spewing poorly researched nonsense, certain gun control advocates such as some in this very thread do a wonderful job of alienating all firearms owners and generating sympathy among the moderates who would otherwise support thoughtful regulation for members interested in these tacticool endeavors.
aaron695 6y ago
> Police found pickup truck full of bombs and guns near Capitol The media is just shameless with their lying. They were bottles full of fuel. Commonly called Molotov Cocktails by anyone who's watched an action movie. BLM also used Molotov Cocktails, can't remember them being called bombs, because that would be a lie I guess. Alabama Man Charged With Possession of Eleven Molotov Cocktails Found Near Protest at U.S. Capitol https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/alabama-man-charged-possession-eleven-molotov-cocktails-found-near-protest-us-capitol https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/alabama-man-charged-posse...
- chrononaut 6y ago
  > Coffman, 70, told police he had mason jars filled with "melted Styrofoam and gasoline." Federal investigators believe that combination, if exploded, would have the effect of napalm "insofar as it causes the flammable liquid to better stick to objects that it hits upon detonation," according to the court record. > Police also found cloth rags and lighters. The court documents said that those items and the explosive-filled mason jars "in close proximity to one another constitute a combination of parts" that could be used as a "destructive device." I don't think the article is disagreeing with you. Also, a Molotov cocktail is commonly referred to as a type of bomb: > A Molotov cocktail, also known as a petrol bomb, gasoline bomb, bottle bomb, poor man's grenade, fire bomb (not to be confused with an actual fire bomb), fire bottle or just Molotov, sometimes shortened as Molly, is a generic name used for a variety of bottle-based improvised incendiary weapons. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molotov_cocktail https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molotov_cocktail
  - stefanwlb 6y ago
    I don't think the question is about semantics, but about the hypocrisy of the media which led to our current situation in the first place.
    - detaro 6y ago
      Plenty headlines about "firebombing" at least from summer.
boringg 6y ago
Is anyone surprised though? Shocked, but not surprised
boringg 6y ago
I feel like this is the equivalent of a guy showing up to a party of people he doesn’t know that well. Brings a drink in and then if the party gets going he’s like “don’t worry I have a lots more in the car” to make friends. Except in this case it’s a weapons cache and obviously incredibly disturbing.
- pjc50 6y ago
  People have been bringing guns to protests for a while. It's kind of remarkable how few times this has resulted in actual shooting.
  - boringg 6y ago
    That’s a very true statement. I feel like they have them there just in case things ratchet up. Even though things got way way way out of control - I’m curious if had the capitol police been armed there might have been a bigger confrontation with more casualties. I’m in the highly speculative category here.
BlueTemplar 6y ago
The most surprising thing to me is that despite guns on both sides there were only 4 deaths. I guess that either both the police did very well their jobs (after the fact) and/or the 'insurgents' (almost) only had their guns as symbols and/or there was a lot of luck involved.
- guerrilla 6y ago
  Probably because there was only really one side...
  - BlueTemplar 6y ago
    While I first read this an exaggeration, it looks like at least some of the police forces might have been sympathetic to the rioters ? Also, there's still no explanation as to why there wasn't a large, anti-riot police force defending the Capitol that day…
- rozab 6y ago
  I think a contributing factor is that the police knew that these protesters would be heavily armed and dangerous and so were reluctant to escalate the situation. Unlike with BLM where they could happily curbstomp them with no consequences.
- loopz 6y ago
  The point seems to be to harden the people involved, to commit further to the cause later. While this was going on, senators were called and asked to change their vote. As riot raged at Capitol, Trump tried to call senators to overturn election https://edition.cnn.com/2021/01/08/politics/mike-lee-tommy-tuberville-trump-misdialed-capitol-riot/index.html https://edition.cnn.com/2021/01/08/politics/mike-lee-tommy-t...
- kc0bfv 6y ago
  We're up to 5 deaths now. Not to mention those that will result from COVID branching out from this event. Which - while less related - when considering the actions of the instigator are certainly notable. DC has a ton of security, and it's basically only legal for them to possess the guns. Carrying guns openly in this area would lead to a quick arrest. So - I think you're right that there was a lot of luck, but also there was a lot of preparation.
seamyb88 6y ago
Responsible gun ownership is not a valid argument when you share a country with (many, many) people who can hold the opinions of QAnon.
- benjohnson 6y ago
  So... We're supposed to lay down our arms and submit to these QAnon people? Especially after they sneak into the military?

99 points by loopz 6y ago

deleted 6y ago

[deleted]

Also found this interesting use of push-based communications tech: Republican AGs group sent robocalls urging march to the Capitol https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/republican-ags-group-sent-robocalls-urging-march-capitol-n1253581 https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/republican-ags-group-se...

waihtis 6y ago

It was a terribly bad idea for the major tech platforms to go for the Trump ban right now. There’s a highy unstable force out there born specifically from the idea that they’re an oppressed and censored group of people, and this ban action is pouring a tanker of gasoline into an already raging bonfire. I get why it had to be done; the general public has never had any regard for second-order effects and big tech will hardly risk their market cap. However, the big threat now is that these people will go out with a bang - literally.

chipgap98 6y ago
I think that was already a big risk. I don't think the Twitter ban is going to change anything other than taking away a platform that is being used to spread misinformation, anger, and fear
- stefanwlb 6y ago
  It is a big change. Many, including him, are moving over to Parlor, where they aren't going to be censored by the MSM brainwash machine.
tartaglia 6y ago
I agree about the bad timing. They could have kept the accounts on, assigning a task force to review each post until 20th Jan. It looks to me like a symbolic gesture which is gonna fuel conspiracies and anger. I mean, the presidential account is still on so the guy is still able to tweet.
- mkr-hn 6y ago
  He tried. He's burned through quite a few accounts trying to tweet.
- Miner49er 6y ago
  They have banned the presidential account as well.
- waihtis 6y ago
  Exactly so. It would've been the smartest to clip the head off once the most momentum would have been blown off. That could've choked the entire movement. The fact that I was heavily downvoted and flagged for stating the opinion speaks enough about what kind of knee-jerk reactions people are taking towards Trumpistas.
pjc50 6y ago
Other way round: they've been talking this stuff up for decades. This is just the continuation of Waco and Ruby Ridge and Malheur and those guys who tried to kidnap a governor and the guy who blew up a telephone exchange and a dozen ""lone wolf"" mass shooters. And the "killdozer" guy. Eventually all the thousands of ""lone wolves"" who share the same ideas and politics and gun suppliers were going to get together. They're angry. They're always angry, that's their politics. Social media, talk radio, and the Republican party have been stoking that anger with lies. I agree that it's impossible to completely cut off the conduit of lies, but something has to be done - and deplatforming works. One of them was a retired USAF senior officer: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9128637/MAGA-mob-rioter-dressed-combat-gear-carrying-zip-ties-Texas-Air-Force-veteran.html https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9128637/MAGA-mob-ri... That's not an oppressed and censored person, that's a power hungry person trying to conduct his own little military coup.
- sparks1970 6y ago
  A note that the Daily Mail is not considered a reliable news source by Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Reliable_sources/Perennial_sources https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Reliable_sources/Per...). There is a similar link from the New Yorker which is considered a reliable source: https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/an-air-force-combat-veteran-breached-the-senate https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/an-air-force-combat...
- spinny 6y ago
  deplatforming works - words of a true fascist
- retox 6y ago
  >This is just the continuation of Waco and Ruby Ridge You clearly don't know very much about the facts of either of those events. I suggest you do some reading.
  - deleted 6y ago
    [deleted]
  - 6y ago

buran77 6y ago

> Another man allegedly showed up in the nation's capital with an assault rifle and hundreds of rounds of ammunition and told acquaintances that he wanted to shoot or run over House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, prosecutors said. Wonder if this is what makes lawmakers consider some sensible gun regulation...

pjc50 6y ago
Every time gun regulation is brought up, conservatives claim the 2nd amendment is quite clear that guns are for revolution and that armed insurrection is somehow constitutional. I think we're now seeing the logical conclusion of that. You may well be right; senior dems have been too friendly with republicans as individuals for too long. Nothing ends that friendship like discovering them cheering on the people calling for your execution.
- newacct583 6y ago
  I hate that this is downvoted, because it's so clearly true. There is a heavily armed, deeply mistrustful subculture in this country that has been TRAINED by its leaders (including most of the now-minority party) that it is going to need to overthrow the government someday. And they tried. Last Wednesday. What happens when they succeed? Now, to be fair: I don't think guns (as machines) are the core problem here. Removing the guns doesn't remove the domestic terrorists. But nonetheless gun culture is part and parcel of the right wing terror we just saw, and that needs to be fixed.
  - OminousWeapons 6y ago
    I think what you mean by "gun culture" is more "tacticool culture" which interests a sub set of firearms owners. I agree that this is a problematic culture, but it's not the dominant culture. A large number if not most gun owners including myself own firearms for lawful self defense, hunting, sport, or job related duties (eg ranching, security) and have no interest in running around in plate armor or joining a militia. While I acknowledge that my firearms could help me if a revolution were to break out, that is not why I bought them, it's not what I'm interested in, and I sincerely hope to never have to use them in that context. It is worth noting that by constantly demonizing all gun owners as bad people and spewing poorly researched nonsense, certain gun control advocates such as some in this very thread do a wonderful job of alienating all firearms owners and generating sympathy among the moderates who would otherwise support thoughtful regulation for members interested in these tacticool endeavors.

aaron695 6y ago

> Police found pickup truck full of bombs and guns near Capitol The media is just shameless with their lying. They were bottles full of fuel. Commonly called Molotov Cocktails by anyone who's watched an action movie. BLM also used Molotov Cocktails, can't remember them being called bombs, because that would be a lie I guess. Alabama Man Charged With Possession of Eleven Molotov Cocktails Found Near Protest at U.S. Capitol https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/alabama-man-charged-possession-eleven-molotov-cocktails-found-near-protest-us-capitol https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/alabama-man-charged-posse...

chrononaut 6y ago
> Coffman, 70, told police he had mason jars filled with "melted Styrofoam and gasoline." Federal investigators believe that combination, if exploded, would have the effect of napalm "insofar as it causes the flammable liquid to better stick to objects that it hits upon detonation," according to the court record. > Police also found cloth rags and lighters. The court documents said that those items and the explosive-filled mason jars "in close proximity to one another constitute a combination of parts" that could be used as a "destructive device." I don't think the article is disagreeing with you. Also, a Molotov cocktail is commonly referred to as a type of bomb: > A Molotov cocktail, also known as a petrol bomb, gasoline bomb, bottle bomb, poor man's grenade, fire bomb (not to be confused with an actual fire bomb), fire bottle or just Molotov, sometimes shortened as Molly, is a generic name used for a variety of bottle-based improvised incendiary weapons. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molotov_cocktail https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molotov_cocktail
- stefanwlb 6y ago
  I don't think the question is about semantics, but about the hypocrisy of the media which led to our current situation in the first place.
  - detaro 6y ago
    Plenty headlines about "firebombing" at least from summer.

boringg 6y ago

Is anyone surprised though? Shocked, but not surprised

boringg 6y ago

I feel like this is the equivalent of a guy showing up to a party of people he doesn’t know that well. Brings a drink in and then if the party gets going he’s like “don’t worry I have a lots more in the car” to make friends. Except in this case it’s a weapons cache and obviously incredibly disturbing.

pjc50 6y ago
People have been bringing guns to protests for a while. It's kind of remarkable how few times this has resulted in actual shooting.
- boringg 6y ago
  That’s a very true statement. I feel like they have them there just in case things ratchet up. Even though things got way way way out of control - I’m curious if had the capitol police been armed there might have been a bigger confrontation with more casualties. I’m in the highly speculative category here.

BlueTemplar 6y ago

The most surprising thing to me is that despite guns on both sides there were only 4 deaths. I guess that either both the police did very well their jobs (after the fact) and/or the 'insurgents' (almost) only had their guns as symbols and/or there was a lot of luck involved.

guerrilla 6y ago
Probably because there was only really one side...
- BlueTemplar 6y ago
  While I first read this an exaggeration, it looks like at least some of the police forces might have been sympathetic to the rioters ? Also, there's still no explanation as to why there wasn't a large, anti-riot police force defending the Capitol that day…
rozab 6y ago
I think a contributing factor is that the police knew that these protesters would be heavily armed and dangerous and so were reluctant to escalate the situation. Unlike with BLM where they could happily curbstomp them with no consequences.
loopz 6y ago
The point seems to be to harden the people involved, to commit further to the cause later. While this was going on, senators were called and asked to change their vote. As riot raged at Capitol, Trump tried to call senators to overturn election https://edition.cnn.com/2021/01/08/politics/mike-lee-tommy-tuberville-trump-misdialed-capitol-riot/index.html https://edition.cnn.com/2021/01/08/politics/mike-lee-tommy-t...
kc0bfv 6y ago
We're up to 5 deaths now. Not to mention those that will result from COVID branching out from this event. Which - while less related - when considering the actions of the instigator are certainly notable. DC has a ton of security, and it's basically only legal for them to possess the guns. Carrying guns openly in this area would lead to a quick arrest. So - I think you're right that there was a lot of luck, but also there was a lot of preparation.

seamyb88 6y ago

Responsible gun ownership is not a valid argument when you share a country with (many, many) people who can hold the opinions of QAnon.

benjohnson 6y ago
So... We're supposed to lay down our arms and submit to these QAnon people? Especially after they sneak into the military?