January 6, 2021
Supporters of outgoing U.S. President Donald Trump storm the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Thousands of Trump supporters had gathered at the Capitol on January 5th and 6th amid claims of election fraud after Trump lost the 2020 presidential election to Joe Biden. During a speech on January 6th, Trump repeated claims that the election was stolen and stated “If you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country any more”. Protestors then began assaulting Capitol Police officers, vandalizing, looting, and occupying buildings. The rioters sought to overturn Trump’s election defeat by disrupting that day’s count of electoral votes that would formalize then President-elect Biden’s victory.
After Vice-President Mike Pence rejected claims by Trump and others that the vice president could overturn the election results, gallows were erected west of the Capitol with rioters chanting “Hang Mike Pence“.