The Shakerite VOL 91 ISSUE I

A
group peacefully
protesting
police brutality
outside the White
House June 1, 2020
were tear-gassed
and subjected to concussion grenades
as National Guard troops
and police in riot gear cleared
them away for former President
Donald Trump’s photo op.
A group of mostly white
Trump supporters stormed the
Capitol building Jan. 6, protesting
the results of the 2020 presidential
election while Congress
was counting the electoral votes.
The insurrection resulted in the
loss of five lives, 140 injuries and
almost no police response or intervention.
Approximately 800 insurrectionists
entered the building with
no repercussions after breaching
police barriers, but only 14 were
arrested during the Jan. 6 assault.
Throughout the incident,
the police remained peaceful,
even when protestors shattered
windows; beat officers with their
own shields, pieces of scaffolding
and a fire extinguisher; and
sprayed bear mace in their faces.
Recent events such as the
Capitol insurrection of Jan. 6
and protests against COVID-19
restrictions have revealed the
double standards of the reactions
of law enforcement to different
groups of protesters, more specifically
those protesting police
brutality against Black citizens.
During the summer, 15-26
million Americans took to the
streets to protest police brutality
and systemic racism. These Black
Throughout the
incident, the
police remained
peaceful, even
when protestors
shattered
windows; beat
officers with
their own
shields, pieces of
scaffolding and
a fire
extinguisher;
and sprayed
bear mace in
their faces.
Lives Matter protesters too often
faced tear gas and excessive force
at the hands of police.
The insurrectionists of the
Capitol riot were protesting the
results of the 2020 presidential
vote as Trump supporters, following
his lead, claimed the election
was stolen and that there was
evidence of voter fraud. Despite
the certification of Biden’s presidential
win and the lack of evidence
to support the claims of
fraud, Trump supporters continue
to support these false claims.
Through tweets, Trump encouraged
these conspiracy theories
and baseless claims.
Insurrectionists were seen
in pictures carrying confederate
flags through the Capitol halls
and damaging the building. One
rioter was pictured wearing a
sweatshirt that read “Camp Auschwitz.”
The insurrectionists’
messages and actions were not
enough for police to use force to
control and expel the rioters, unlike
their use of tear gas, clubs,
and force against peaceful Black
Lives Matter protesters.
Some of the insurrectionists
were off-duty police officers, former
police officers as well as former
and current members of the
military.
In one video, a rioter is hitting
an officer with what looks
like a crutch. Others are throwing
flags, one of which reads
“Trump 2020,” at police as the
crowd cheers them on. Another
looks to be attempting to detach
an American flag from a flag pole
to use as a weapon. They attacked
Capitol police, one of whom died,
Spring 2021 THE SHAKERITE 27