The historical political upheavals that have transpired last year is visibly transitioning into the fresh start of 2021. Only three months back, on November 8, Joe Biden earned the title of ‘president-elect,’ surpassing President Trump by 74 electoral votes. Still, the president had vigorously dismissed the win, stating that there were multiple accounts of voter fraud — a sentiment proven to be false.
After months of President Trump’s claim that he won the election, and that the voter count was “rigged,” America faced one of its greatest difficulties: a rough transition of the executive chair. The president filed multiple lawsuits asking for a recount on the grounds of voter fraud. No evidence surfaced confirming these allegations.
Yesterday afternoon, America witnessed one of its darkest periods in the advent of a new year. On this day, members of both the House and Senate gathered on Capitol Hill to count and finalize electoral college votes.
“They have stolen the Election from us,” President Trump said in a public statement on Wednesday.
He implied that the election had been set up and that he won the election. In the wake of a pandemonic riot, loyal supporters of Trump heard this and stormed Capitol Hill in protest of the election results.
At about 3:00 P.M., almost 3,000 people gathered on Capitol Hill in support of President Trump. The protest seemed to be peaceful until it grew to become a mob. Armed with guns and weapons, these supporters stormed up the steps of Capitol Hill, climbed walls, and broke windows to get inside.
Once the Capitol had been compromised, politicians were ushered to safety. Many were given gas masks and minor protective gear, and they were escorted to an undisclosed location. Politicians feared for their lives and the count came to a halt.
Many quickly got involved and the situation escalated. Trump supporters fought against the poorly prepared security and broke into the offices of powerful lawmakers, one of whom sat in the chair of Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, and left a note that said, “We Will Not Back Down.”
They took pictures, pointed guns, wrote threatening notes, and put their feet up on the desks of legislators.
Capitol Hill had only been breached once more back in 1814 when British forces attacked and burned down the residential neighborhood. Now into 2021, the media reported the riot as “violent” and “chaotic.”
Many have opinions about the events of that day both Democrats and Republicans have spoken out of their disapproval. Helen Cordero, a student democrat, witnessing these events on CNN had a firm overview of the events taking place.
“As a Democrat, I feel devastated to watch this. We’re in 2021. The hate and the violence are still continuing over an issue that is false, what I’m talking about is the voting fraud first of all there is no evidence to prove that Joe Biden cheated. Come on now! Accept his win of the election and move on.”
Cordero continues by explaining the hypocrisy with how the government and police force responded to the raid on Capitol Hill as opposed to their poor handling of the Black Lives Matter protests over the past several months.
“Trump supporters are always talking negatively about the BLM and other movements of rights that people protest for equal rights, they are always saying how people protesting for their rights are always violent and bringing crime. It is so hypocritical of them to say this because look at them trespassing the Capitol house destroying it, bringing crime, violence is happening.”
“Where are the police officers? I know for sure if it was the BLM protest cops are all ready to take on the fight and start pepper spraying them but unfortunately, trump supporters don’t see peace on that and this is just chaos and disorder,” she continued.
However, she is not the only person to feel this way. Many have spoken out about how this was not a protest; rather, the events that unfolded yesterday was a riot — a terrorist attack on Capitol Hill. Politicians have said that this is the fault of President Trump.
In a statement later that day, the president continued to reject the outcomes of the election.
“I know your pain, I know your hurt. We had an election that was stolen from us. It was a landslide election, and everyone knows it — especially the other side,” said Mr. Trump in a video issued by the White House.
These posts have been removed by various social media outlets because they were in support of violence which isn’t tolerated. Once order was restored later that night, angry politicians announced Joe Biden as the winner of the Presidential Election, certified by both members of the House and Senate.
