I’ve lived in Washington, DC, for more than 20 years. Most of the time in the Logan Circle neighborhood.
On January 6, my neighborhood was flooded with Trump supporters who came to overthrow the government.
They filled the hotels and saw the sights. And then they went to the Capitol to stage a coup. They attacked the police, broke into the Capitol and looted it, all in a futile attempt to stop Joe Biden from becoming President.
The next day, they packed up their cars and went home, proud of what they accomplished.
Eight thoughts on a coup attempt:
- This was planned. I saw it all over social media. Trump supporters planned to come to DC to “get wild” and hang the traitors.
- Trump encouraged them. Trump held a Nazi-style rally and then told them to storm the Capitol.
- They came to fight. In my neighborhood, I saw men in faux military garb and weapons. Camouflage, tactical gear, body armor and helmets – they looked like a military unit. They brought poles, clubs, batons, pepper spray and other weapons.
- They believe in a deranged conspiracy theory. I got in a verbal argument with some of them. They kept calling me a pedophile. They believe in the “save our children” QANON conspiracy theory that states that the USA is controlled by a pedophile ring.
- They are wealthy white people. The hotels in my Logan Circle neighborhood, which are not cheap, were at capacity with the rioters. The stereotype that Trump supporters are poor is incorrect.
- This was a white riot. I was shocked that they could storm the Capitol and walk away without consequence. All day yesterday, I watched them check out of their hotels and leave as if nothing had happened.
- The smarter ones took steps to conceal their identities. The group I argued with was in rental car. They told me it was so people couldn’t track them.
- They will return on Inauguration Day with guns. The ones I argued with said that they would be back. They want to stop Joe Biden’s inauguration. It’s obvious what their next step will be.
Don’t want to happen this? Make pariahs out of Trump supporters. Take their jobs, friends, online platforms and reputations from them.
Unless coup supporters are punished, there will be future coups.
