Creator of monster is flabbergasted that the monster he helped create has gotten out of control. If only history or literature had given us a warning!
Well, this was how it looked during the BLM protests last summer.
That would imply they did actually try to help Trump win but failed, and would go against the idea they left him high and dry on election day.
So what we need is for Pelosi and McConnell to call up Ralph Northam and ask him to mobilize the Virginia state police (as the nearest Democratically controlled executive who has armed people under him) to mobilize and clear them out?
I’ve never worked in law enforcement or the military, but I wonder if this is a common consequence of “Do this, but I’m not telling you HOW to do it” orders.
“Keep protesters out!” Sure, but what if they break through - is lethal force authorized or not? “I’m not clarifying.” Well then, when the protesters break through, the cops must err on the side of not killing/maiming, then.
I believe King George III and Lord North had a similar epiphany once.
Okay, now they’re breaking a window, and climbing in. Christ can’t they send in some military, in some form (National Guard, whatever)?
Really good comment by Maggie Koerth at 538. You can go there for the full post but here’s the begining. The likely answer is “no”.
It is difficult for me, as a reporter who was on the street during the protests in Minneapolis last summer, to not be comparing and contrasting police response to each set of protests. I am obviously not seeing everything going on there, but I haven’t seen police shooting less-lethal munitions, like beanbags or rubber bullets, at any of these people on the Capitol steps. Which is hard to square, emotionally, with things I saw in Minneapolis, like my reporting partner being shot in the face by a police projectile or a protester I was interviewing in an otherwise empty lot being shot in the leg with similar rounds by officers pushing back a far smaller group of protesters who were making much less contact with the officers. I’m certainly not the only reporter thinking about that.
On the other hand, we reported here at FiveThirtyEight over the summer about how those kinds of responses — which escalate tensions between police and protesters — don’t actually reduce violence and, in fact, increase the likelihood that protests will become more violent. So is a less-aggressive police response here evidence-based?
Seems like having the doors locked and chained from the inside, while the cops were still outside, would have been a sensible precaution. Maybe the rioters would have broken their way through the glass, but they’d have had to actually DO that, instead of just waltzing in through the doors once they got past the cops.
I don’t know if this is true or not:
“Why are the leopards eating my face??!”
The Trump’s Department of Defense is refusing requests for help.
CNN just said Virginia state police have been called in.
Reports of a woman shot, in critical condition. No other details.
Is there any rule on one state’s police having jurisdiction in another place? (since DC is not part of Virginia)
White Wing Privilege.
CNN just reported Virginia state police (Democratic governor) and Maryland state police (sane Republican governor) are sending reinforcements.
I think it depends on the protesters. Those who simply want their voices heard aren’t likely to get violent unless someone else starts it. Those who want to burn the system down, are going to try to burn the system down.
CNN: Maryland state police have arrived, in riot gear.
The senate side has been cleared and pushed into the rotunda to be taken out.
No news from the house side.