Saturday, September 18, 2021
Significantly less than expected
Trump fans demonstrate in front of the Capitol
Almost 450 instead of the 700 registered Trump fans gather to protest in front of the US Capitol in Washington. The police are on site with a large number. The feared clashes do not materialize, four people are arrested.
Few supporters of the former US President Donald Trump protested a good eight months after the storming of the Capitol under high security in Washington. According to their own statements, the police counted up to 450 people in the cordoned-off area on the National Mall promenade in front of the Capitol in the afternoon (local time). However, this number should also include numerous observers. According to organizers, only about 100 to 200 Trump supporters came. This meant that fewer demonstrators came to the rally than expected.
According to initial findings, the protest was peaceful and without major incidents. The authorities initially reported four arrests. The police were on site with a large contingent to prevent possible riots. “It’s pretty much what we expected,” Washington chief Robert Contee told CNN at the start of the demonstration.
The demonstration is a solidarity event for defendants who have to answer in court because of the storming of the Capitol on January 6th. The rally is organized by a former member of Trump’s campaign team, Matt Braynard. According to the police, the organizers had registered 700 participants for the demo.
Trump fans demonstrated for “political prisoners”
Trump supporters had violently stormed the Congress headquarters in the US capital on January 6th. Five people were killed, including a police officer. The unprecedented attack on the heart of US democracy caused a shock both nationally and internationally. Trump had to face impeachment proceedings for the attack because he had previously incited his supporters at a rally. At the end of the trial, the Republican was acquitted. The background to the attack is being further investigated in Congress.
The rally is not about the people who were violent on January 6, said organizer Braynard in a speech in front of the Capitol. They belonged in jail. Braynard’s group is of the opinion, however, that numerous demonstrators are treated with disproportionate severity and are being held as “political prisoners”.
Braynard has argued in the past that a number of alleged protesters believed they had permission to enter the Capitol. He called on the demonstrators several times during his speech to remain peaceful. According to him, many people did not come to protest in the US capital out of fear. He and the Trump supporters clapped ostentatiously for the Capitol Police.
Braynard also called on the demonstrators to give a friendly smile to the security forces and journalists as they leave the premises. “We will keep fighting,” he announced. The demonstrators chanted, among other things, “USA, USA, USA”. Counter-demonstrators also took to the streets in Washington.
Man with gun in custody
After the rally, the Capitol Police kept Trump supporters and counter-demonstrators away from each other, as she wrote on Twitter. This happened without incident. A man had previously been arrested with a knife. The police did not initially provide any further details on this case. Police also reported that a man with a firearm was taken into custody. The emergency services also prepared for clashes to occur during the day or in the evening.
The Capitol Police came under fire after the Capitol attack on January 6th because the parliament’s security forces were unable to repel the attack. Now the unit was convinced that it was prepared for all eventualities. Emergency forces from other units, such as the capital city police and the national guard, were available to provide support. For a demonstration, a fence was temporarily rebuilt around the Capitol to protect the congress headquarters. The fence was erected after the attack in January and only dismantled in July.
Experts warn that the protest could be a success for Trump supporters despite the small number of participants, as it will be reported in detail. This is how they could get their message across. “This whole reinterpretation also serves to normalize the violence, which is extremely problematic,” said Alex Friedfeld of the civil rights organization Anti-Defamation League the broadcaster NPR. “If a riot is not a crime, if an attempt to overthrow the government is not a crime. Where do we stand as a country?”