Written with contribution from Sheriff David Clarke
Since the Capitol Hill riot last week, a litany of videos have emerged all over the internet capturing footage of the now-notorious moments when protesters breached and invaded the halls of Congress.
While some of the videos show groups merely walking around, others have shown assault on members of the Capitol Hill police, who for their part have been accused of allowing protesters into the building.
In one video posted by the New York Post, a certain point focuses on a young police officer sandwiched between a doorway and a sea of protestors.
The video somewhat graphically shows the group shouting and heaving in a unified effort to apparently push through the line of police.
Differing viewpoints have spawned conflicting narratives of the role law enforcement played across social media.
“The implication is different based on who’s tweeting it, of course,” as Western Journal states.
“From liberals, it’s a sign that this is indicative of police employing a different tactic against rioting Trump supporters than they did against other rioters this summer during the Black Lives Matter protests,” they explain.
Keep in mind that police were pelted with rocks, bricks and urine-filled glass projectiles yet Democrat mayors and members of Congress stood silent while this happened.
“For conservatives, the implication is that this is all a setup. Yet both seem to think it’s prima facie obvious that the Capitol Police let people in.”
One Twitter user posted footage of protestors gaining access through a line of police with the caption, “The police opened the f*cking gates.”
Footage like this has given cause for many to question the legitimacy of the entire scene. The New York Times reported on statements from political leaders who compared law enforcement’s handling of Wednesday’s events with previous incidents involving more people of color.
The Guardian produced this headline: “Anger and incredulity at police failure to defend the Capitol from Trump mob.”
No such claim was made by the New York Times about the incredulity of police as they stood down and watched police failure to defend private businesses and other government buildings like police precincts from attacks by Black Lives Matter and Antifa. It’s only property lefties claimed. They have insurance, was the response.
However, with more testimonies emerging, it has become clear to others that perhaps the Capitol Hill Police were doing what they could and were simply underprepared for such an invasion.
Republican Texas Rep. Pat Fallon was quoted by the Western Journal as saying that as soon as police arrived to defend the House Chamber, their actions were, “Courage personified.”
According to the outlet, the young officer screaming is one example of why they let the rioters pass, “because this sort of thing was the alternative.”
The Western Journal also reported that the Pentagon offered the National guard days prior, and the Dept. of Justice offered FBI agents the day of the invasion.
Politifact said it, “discovered that some online video is getting misinterpreted. Many officers had to abandon their posts and barricades because they were far outnumbered and overwhelmed.
Oh really? That is why they refer to policing as the thin blue line. Police have always been outnumbered. Antifa and Black Lives Matter know it. Abandoning their post won’t give the law-abiding public much confidence in their ability to maintain law and order.
The journalist who shot the video of protestors breaking through the police barricade made a statement on what he saw:
“They definitely didn’t just open the barriers,” Marcus Diapola said. “The pro-Trump rioters made a fist like they were going to punch the cops, which is why I started recording. Then [police] backed off the barricades.”
“They were completely outnumbered. There wouldn’t have been any point in fighting.”
That sounds all too familiar. Think Seattle and Portland.
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