No matter how many times we see them, the images from Jan. 6, 2021, stun — even one year later. A violent mob, bent on disrupting official election proceedings in Congress, overwhelmed and outnumbered the police force to storm the U.S. Capitol. Inside, masked men with zip ties hanging from tactical vests leapt from balconies onto the floor of the U.S. Senate. Outside, rioters battled police with fists, pepper spray, and hand-held weapons. The Congressional testimony by the officers working that painful day painted a dire and grim picture. I was reminded of violent facility seizures abroad while watching the chaos unfold — in places like Tehran and Islamabad.
Anniversaries mark symbolic importance. Which raises the question of whether we can, or should, expect violence from actors sympathetic to the Jan. 6 rioters. In consideration of getting it right for the future, it’s worth reflecting on the failures that allowed the attack to happen, and the state of Capitol security one year later.
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