Below are the first hand accounts from three witnesses who made it to the US Capitol on January 6th. Summary from the two witnesses who bo...
Below are the first hand accounts from three witnesses who made it to the US Capitol on January 6th.
Summary from the two witnesses who both made it to the top of the steps on the west side of the Capitol, to the police line:
- “It was NOT a riot. The best description is a mosh pit.”
- DID NOT SEE ANTIFA in this area – although there was an agitator with a bullhorn who the witnesses thought might have been a plant
- Witnesses saw NO WEAPONS OF ANY KIND among the marchers. Nothing was thrown either.
- Witnesses heard NO THREATS to the police. People were verbally demanding access to the public building to witness Congress’ actions.
- Police had no megaphone, and no Public Address system. Police made no announcements. Police did not tell crowd to disperse; police gave no warning of firing tear gas or using batons; police did not declare an unlawful assembly.
- Police refused to talk with any of the marchers on the West Capitol steps.
- Congress did not send any member or staff person to address the crowd. Given the good nature of the crowd, witnesses believe everyone on the West Capitol Steps would have held back if they had been addressed by someone – even saying, “Here’s what’s happening – we hear you – we are working on allowing some people into the gallery.”
- Witnesses did not see any person in the crowd initiate any act of violence. Police initiated violence (clubbing protesters) without warning or justification.
- Press was not visible. (This applies not only to Capitol steps, but to entire walk from Washington Monument to Capitol area – never saw the Press.)
WITNESS #1 – in front row at top of steps on West side of Capitol building
- Witness is a business professional in his 50’s.
- The witness was located between the growing crowd behind him, and the police line in front. He saw a police officer fall near him, and heard marchers say, “We need to help the police” – and then he saw Marchers lift the police officer back to his feet. –
- A police officer clubbed the witness multiple times in the kidney area and side of body.
- Witness reported that being struck multiple times by an officer, it hurt most the first time an area was struck, especially the kidney. He shouted out in defiance, “Is that all you’ve got? You hit like a girl.” He then turned and saw it was a female officer striking him, and a nearby male officer laughed.
- Witness was subjected to tear gas, with no warning or request to disperse.
- The witness saw a Marcher in front of him who was being beaten with a baton by a police officer. The witness reached around the person like a bear hug, and when the baton came near again, the witness grabbed the baton with two hands and then immobilized it against the person’s body. He looked at the police officer and said, “Are we done now?” Shortly after the witness let go of the baton, all the police retreated inside the Capitol Building.
WITNESS #2
- Witness is a business professional in his 50’s
- Witness was in same general vicinity as first witness
- Witness was subjected to tear gas, with no warning or request to disperse.
- Witness saw a police officer raise a baton overhead; the officer started to bring it down potentially on the head of an innocent marcher – the witness and another marcher grabbed the baton and took it from the police officer. The baton disappeared into the crowd and was not used again.
- As police retreated into the Capitol, this witness took a direct hit of pepper spray to the eyes. He was blinded for several minutes. Members of the crowd led him to a volunteer medic. The police had no medics. The medic helped to flush him with water, which meant he was soaking wet in cold weather. An elderly couple volunteered and led him by hand over ¼ mile back to meet me. He said the tear gas was bad, but it was more dispersed so he was able to sustain it. But the pepper spray was a direct blinding hit.
WITNESS #3
MY OBSERVATIONS – FROM HOURS IMMERSED IN THE CROWD, FROM THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT TO THE MARCH DOWN CONSTITUTION AVE. AND AT THE GATHERING WEST OF THE REFLECTING POND.
- OVERWHELMING PEACEFUL, BEAUTIFUL CROWD – THIS SHOULD BE ACKNOWLEDGED – I STILL FEEL VOICELESS AS EVEN THIS GIGANTIC MARCH HAS NOT RESULTED IN MAINSTREAM ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF LEGITIMATE CONCERNS ABOUT ELECTION FRAUD. THIS IS ABOUT FINDING OUT THE TRUTH ABOUT THE ELECTION, ESPECIALLY THE SIX STATES of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Penn. and Wisconsin.
- Beautiful crowd including disabled people courageously walking on crutches; old ladies in wheelchairs; several ladies in “Rascal” type scooters; families and children; many different minorities; young and old; a wide variety of creative and colorful patriotic outfits; people with dogs from small pomeranians and Westies to an extra large wolf hound.
- I spoke with people from all over the country – even from “Blue” states like Massachusetts, Minnesota, California & New York
- Real grassroots – NOT ASTROTURF – lots of homemade signs and a wide variety of flags.
- Chinese Americans were perhaps the most visible minority – many hats and signs said “END CCP.” I spoke with several of these people who were very concerned about CCP tactics coming to the U.S.
- I saw and heard one agitator in camo garb in our viewing area near the Ellipse who tried unsuccessfully to disrupt the President’s speech, but the event was overwhelming dominated by regular people.
- From the Washington Monument to the Capitol, there was not a single Porta Potty or visible public toilet. Most nearby restaurants were also closed.
- As a not very strong middle aged woman, I felt 100% safe all day marching and standing in the crowd.
- POLICE ABSENT: From the Washington Monument to the Capitol area, the only evidence of police / security that I saw was snipers on various rooftops, and snowplows, etc. blocking roads (but empty of personnel). Someone from inside the DOJ building was peering out of a window with a big camera.
EXAMPLES OF DOUBLE STANDARD IN TREATING FIRST AMENDMENT PROTESTERS:
- Democrat led occupation of Wisconsin State Capitol – Gov. Walker’s State Police did not harm people in the aggressive fashion the Witnesses experienced, even though the Wisconsin example involved a very ugly crowd in contrast to the peaceful crowd of Jan. 6
- Chicago Police Union chief defends the Jan 6 protesters: https://www.wbez.org/stories/chicago-police-union-president-defends-those-who-stormed-us-capitol/6842fa80-3b83-4396-af05-a5f15f4ac740