The Capitol was the object this Friday in Washington of strong security measures on the eve of a demonstration in support of supporters of Donald Trump arrested for having participated in the violent assault on the headquarters of the US Congress on January 6.
A high barrier was erected in the square around the imposing building topped by a white dome and the police planned to close the surrounding roads as early as Friday evening, fearing overflows. Unlike January 6, Congress will not be in session and parliamentarians will therefore not be inside when the demonstrators meet at noon on Saturday near this enclosure, under the slogan “Justice for J6” ( Justice for January 6).
The police finally prepared
The authorities expect that around 700 demonstrators will respond to the appeal of the organization “Look Ahead America”, which wants to denounce “the tyrannical and inhuman treatment of political prisoners on January 6”. Organizers urged attendees not to wear political signs, including “in support of President Trump or President Biden.”
The police are “much better prepared” than on January 6, had estimated the leader of the Democrats in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, at the beginning of the week after a meeting with the police. They will give a press conference on Friday at 1 p.m. local time. On January 6, thousands of Donald Trump supporters gathered outside the White House to listen to whoever was still president.
600 people charged
Then several hundred of them, crying out fraud during the presidential election of November, won by Joe Biden, had forced the entry of the Capitol while the parliamentarians, in the presence of the vice-president Mike Pence, certified the victory of the Democrat . The elected officials had to be evacuated urgently in the face of the advance of the rioters.
Acquitted after an impeachment trial for incitement to violence carried out in Congress after the insurgency, Donald Trump still claims, without any evidence, that the election was rigged and defends the arrested protesters.
“All our thoughts are with those who are so unjustly persecuted because of the demonstration on January 6 regarding the rigged presidential election,” he wrote on Thursday, without directly mentioning Saturday’s demonstration. About 600 people were arrested for their participation in the attack and the majority were charged, for more or less heavy counts.
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