Just spitballin’ here–is it a strategy on police parts to investigate, scrutinize video, take statements, etc until Biden takes office so Trump cannot pardon anyone arrested or charged with committing a crime? Or can Trump issue a blanket pardon for “'everyone charged with crimes committed while on the grounds of Congress on 1/6” anyway?
I appreciated the idea that arresting the 1000s of thugs outside coulda run the risk of escalation (as well as creating a shortage of zipties!). But I couldn’t imagine why EVERYONE INSIDE the building wasn’t restrained. Or, at the very least, had their IDs checked before being released to enable future efforts. The only explanation would have been to clear the building quickly to allow the sessions to resume.
But they were all in one place, presumably unarmed. I guess there was the practical issue of wrangling all these maskholes in light of COVID. But how much will it cost to try to identify and travel to reach these people? How much more challenging will prosecutions be based on photo ID? And do fed marshalls really want to be knocking on these sorts of peoples’ doors - not knowing what kinda firepower and attitude towards government representatives might be on the other side?
Recall that Jimmy Carter did a blanket pardon in 1977 to draft evaders who avoided military service during the Vietnam war. I believe that was never challenged in court, so we don’t know how a court challenge might be decided.
ETA: Brief wikipedia article:
I don’t think they were unarmed. At least not all of them.
RIGHT - but DC is a non-carry zone, so chances are, they were packing less than when they are behind their doors in their homes.
The big question is obviously why law enforcement appeared to basically stand down and let it happen in the first place.
But once they were running loose in the building, and the few law enforcement who were trying to get things under control were clearly struggling and outnumbered, I can see that the best short term tactical decision was to just let them leave.
It’s important to remember that the first duty of the Capitol Police is not to make arrests, but to secure the safety of the legislators and their staff (not to mention the Vice President of the United States).
In addition to that, police there knew that everything would be caught on camera and anybody not apprehended was likely to become an identifiable fugitive.
Yeah - I realize I’m likely expecting too much in a chaotic and poorly prepared situation. Any estimates as to how many were inside? 100? 500? Fewer?
But it seemed like the people were mostly wandering around, then they supposedly were getting gathered in the rotunda. Sounded like few of them were armed beyond sticks. There were limited cops inside, but growing numbers of cops outside - and reinforcements coulda come in through the tunnels.
Then, as they shepherded them out - presumably a limited number of exits - specific info coulda been gotten - or at least clear full face photos.
I was really hoping to see the Natl Guard rain holy hell down on these assholes who were refusing to disperse. But I suppose I’m feeling like the conservatives who wanted hippy blood in Chicago back in 68…
I realize what I suggest was likely unworkable. But I sure want to see these assholes face some repercussions.
Sure, the problem then is pushing the insurrectionists back into the Capitol. This is also probably why there was a big delay in when pepper spray and tear gas were used; at the start, you would have been using them on your own position. The larger question is why there was so little police presence given the known threats floating out there.
I readily admit it was probably preferable not to start a war on US citizens in and around the Capitol.
But at some point relatively early, continued access INTO the bldg was stopped, and people were pushed back at least some distance. The Natl Gd (and other cops) coulda been brought into the Cap thru the tunnels. Enough NGs coulda kept the in-bldg criminals corralled, while other NGs exited the doors, pushing the rioters down from the high ground.
Or, later, when the crowd was dispersed and pushed back further behind a solid line of LEOs, they coulda swept along like a broom.
One side of me did not want state violence, but another part hated seeing these fucks dealt w/ kid gloves. Heck, at one point a cop was escorting a woman down the steps, holding her hand as tho assisting her. Fuck, she coulda gotten down a lot quicker w/ a good shove in the back.
Somebody even had Molotov cocktails but left them in their car.
The irony is back in June Trump crowed about new laws that made vandalizing federal property serious felonies with 10 year prison terms thinking it was for BLM protestors. Allanis Moressetes head just exploded.
I agree detaining large groups of people inside the Capitol building was going to be impractical and probably dangerous for everyone, and the quickest way to de-escalate was to just get them out. I also agree they should have been taking pictures of everyone as they were leaving, or at least capturing their ID if they were carrying one, but who would be thinking ahead like that in the heat of battle.
My solution: in addition to pepper spray, why not allow the Capitol Police to carry blue ink spray, like they used to use for bank robbers (to permanently damage the money - see Dye Pack) - spray these morons with some ink that cannot come off for a week - they will be easy to identify as they try to head back to their hotels, fly home, or move about their communities when they get home. It will be much safer to apprehend them while they are away from their houses.
You must be young 
Perhaps because It would be ironic if an example of actual irony made her head explode?
Back in the days before memes were a thing, her song isnt it ironic was about a bunch iof things that were not ironic and it sort of morphed into using an Allanis reference for anything that ended up actually being ironic.
Do you really think that 2nd amendment activists who believe that the incoming government is illegitimate and needs to be overthrown forcefully are going to worry too much about obeying local gun ordinances?
Well, some might, some might not. And I know of several people who have arsenals in their homes. Certainly more firepower than they could carry - concealed or not.