This archive report was first published on 5 January 2022.
On January 6, 2021, a pivotal moment in American history unfolded as thousands of supporters of then-President Donald Trump stormed the US Capitol in Washington, D.C.
Published on January 5, 2022, the event marked a desperate attempt to prevent the certification of Democrat Joe Biden's election victory, which had been confirmed by dozens of challenges dismissed by the courts and recounts in key states.
Trump's 'Stop the Steal' campaign, which claimed he, not Biden, won the November 3, 2020, presidential election, has been widely debunked as the 'Big Lie'. Despite this, about two-thirds of Republicans believe Biden was not legitimately elected.
As Congress met to certify the results, Trump addressed thousands of flag-waving supporters at a rally near the White House, repeating his claims of a 'rigged' election and urging them to 'fight like hell' to prevent the election from being 'stolen'. The article of impeachment approved by the House of Representatives accused Trump of 'incitement of insurrection', with more than 700 people arrested on various charges, including assaulting police officers and conspiring to obstruct a congressional proceeding.
However, no one has been formally charged with the crime of insurrection, and Trump was acquitted by the Senate in a 57-43 vote. The book 'Peril' by Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Robert Costa sheds light on the behind-the-scenes scheming by the White House and outside advisors to keep Trump in power, characterized as a coup attempt by constitutional scholar Laurence Tribe and others.
Trump and his supporters have sought to change the narrative of the day, which left five people dead and 140 police officers injured, with Trump claiming it was a 'completely unarmed protest'. In an interview with Fox News, Trump described the crowd that stormed the Capitol as posing 'zero threat', with some Republicans downplaying the violence of the day.
