4 ms·

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 (afte

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.
- Ancapistani 6y ago
  > We're up to 5 deaths now. ... only one of which involved a firearm, and that one was in the hands of a Capitol Police officer.
Balgair 6y ago
"God has a special provenance that protects idiots, drunkards, children, and the United States of America" -Otto von Bismark I keep returning to that quote in these days at it's so apt even hundreds of years later. The Capitol insurrection could have been sooo much worse. Only a handful of deaths resulted. That's incredulous for such an event. That a fire-bug didn't get in there and light the whole place up is incredible. That all of Congress was evacuated safely and stayed safe despite seditionists actively trying to lynch them, is amazing in the true sense of the word. The damage to the building itself was minimal, the art and statues are mostly intact, just unbelievable stuff. That despite saying he was going with them, Donny stayed at the WH and just watched the TV. Literally every other autocrat in history would have gone down to the floor of the House and declared themselves King. I cannot think of any other example where the tyrant did not do this (Sulla, but not really even then). The US got so incredibly lucky in this that Bismark's quote is the only thing that makes sense to me.
- krapp 6y ago
  Wait until after the inauguration, they've made it clear they're not at all done.
  - Balgair 6y ago
    Very true, but the effects will be muted as compared to the 37th of December (because 2020 didn't stop), I feel. The leaders of the movements have been identified and are pretty isolated as compared to federal law enforcement. The incoming USAGs are more than ready to make names for themselves in the prosecution of the insurrection. Combined with plea deals that can help expose their networks, I think that armed insurrection in a mass scale is not going to be as threatening. However, McVeigh style attacks are still a very very serious threat, I think.

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.

Ancapistani 6y ago
> We're up to 5 deaths now. ... only one of which involved a firearm, and that one was in the hands of a Capitol Police officer.

Balgair 6y ago

"God has a special provenance that protects idiots, drunkards, children, and the United States of America" -Otto von Bismark I keep returning to that quote in these days at it's so apt even hundreds of years later. The Capitol insurrection could have been sooo much worse. Only a handful of deaths resulted. That's incredulous for such an event. That a fire-bug didn't get in there and light the whole place up is incredible. That all of Congress was evacuated safely and stayed safe despite seditionists actively trying to lynch them, is amazing in the true sense of the word. The damage to the building itself was minimal, the art and statues are mostly intact, just unbelievable stuff. That despite saying he was going with them, Donny stayed at the WH and just watched the TV. Literally every other autocrat in history would have gone down to the floor of the House and declared themselves King. I cannot think of any other example where the tyrant did not do this (Sulla, but not really even then). The US got so incredibly lucky in this that Bismark's quote is the only thing that makes sense to me.

krapp 6y ago
Wait until after the inauguration, they've made it clear they're not at all done.
- Balgair 6y ago
  Very true, but the effects will be muted as compared to the 37th of December (because 2020 didn't stop), I feel. The leaders of the movements have been identified and are pretty isolated as compared to federal law enforcement. The incoming USAGs are more than ready to make names for themselves in the prosecution of the insurrection. Combined with plea deals that can help expose their networks, I think that armed insurrection in a mass scale is not going to be as threatening. However, McVeigh style attacks are still a very very serious threat, I think.