The death of George Floyd – a black man who died after a Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck – in May 2020 sparked hundreds of protests across the country over the summer. In many cities, including the country’s capital, police met protesters with tear gas, violence and arrests.
However, many said Wednesday’s protests were different. The Black Lives Matter Global Network, one of the best-known organizations fighting for the welfare of black people, described Wednesday’s riots as a “coup”.
The group said it was “another example of the hypocrisy in the police response to protests in our country.”
“When black people protest for our lives, all too often we are met by National Guard or police forces equipped with assault rifles, shields, tear gas and combat helmets,” the group said in a statement. “Make no mistake, if the protesters were black, we would have been tear gas gassed, battered, and perhaps shot.”
Here’s a rundown of last year’s protests, compared to Wednesday’s.
June 2, 2020
Members of the DC National Guard, armed and in camouflage uniforms, stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial last June as crowds of protesters held a peaceful protest after several days of demonstrations.
During Wednesday’s events, rioters had already entered the building before the DC National Guard was activated.
January 6, 2021
Hundreds of pro-Trump protesters stormed the Capitol on Wednesday, filling the steps of the building. Some images showed agents using pepper spray. Tear gas was also used, but it is not clear whether by protesters or police, and people wiped tears from their eyes as they coughed.
June 1, 2020
Before Trump made his remarks at the Rose Garden last June, White House police released tear gas and fired rubber bullets at protesters in an attempt to disperse the crowd ahead of the president’s planned visit to the St. John’s Episcopal Church.
Earlier in the day, Trump had encouraged the country’s governors to target protesters in their states more aggressively.
After speaking, Trump walked past protesters to the church for a photo op.
January 6, 2021
Pro-Trump protesters forced their way past metal gates and broke into the Capitol building as they walked through the complex for several hours.
According to White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, Trump had sent the National Guard along with “other federal protection services” to Washington. According to the Pentagon, the entire DC National Guard has been activated by the Department of Defense.
June 3, 2020
Last June, protesters in Washington DC were repeatedly exposed to tear gas. Many were detained. One protest resulted in 88 arrests.
In comparison, Metropolitan Police Department chief Robert Contee said Wednesday night that police made 52 arrests, 26 of them on the Capitol grounds.
January 6, 2021
Trump supporters flooded the steps of the Capitol, while congressional leaders evacuated the complex after a lockdown.
A federal law enforcement official told CNN that the DC National Guard was not expecting to be used to protect federal facilities, and the Trump administration had decided earlier this week that this would be the job of civilian law enforcement.
CNN’s Leah Asmelash and Rashard Rose contributed to this report.
.Source
Related