# Why did everyone seem to forget about the Capital Hill Autonomous Zone, and why didn't it have as big an impact as the Jan 6 riot? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 6, 2022, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-everyone-seem-to-forget-about-the-capital-hill-autonomous-zone-and-why-didnt-it-have-as-big-an-impact-as-the-jan-6-riot/957290 "2022-01-06T01:10:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Beanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/94ad74/32.png) [@Beanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beanz)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2022, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-everyone-seem-to-forget-about-the-capital-hill-autonomous-zone-and-why-didnt-it-have-as-big-an-impact-as-the-jan-6-riot/957290/1 "2022-01-06T01:10:09Z")
Apologies for the potentially inflammatory topic, but I’m not American and find one thing a bit confusing. On all the news sites there is all this doom and gloom about Jan 6 as the “end of democracy” and other similar overly cynical headlines. Strangely, I can not find a single comparison or even reference to the similar Capital Hill Autonomous Zone event that happened just a few months later. Both were violent insurrection attempts that resulted in deaths, vandalism and destruction of property yet everyone seems to have forgotten the latter despite it lasting for a lot longer. (did anyone even get charged with anything from the latter?). Is it because Jan 6 targeted a protected class (politicians) and the other only affected the lower class that the media does not focus on it? Or is it just anything anti-Trump is good, no matter what? ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2022, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-everyone-seem-to-forget-about-the-capital-hill-autonomous-zone-and-why-didnt-it-have-as-big-an-impact-as-the-jan-6-riot/957290/2 "2022-01-06T01:22:44Z")
Well, yes, anything that is anti-Trump is automatically good. Where you are confused, I think, is with your definition of insurrection. The autonomous zone was a protest. At times, a violent one, but a protest, nevertheless. The actual insurrection was on 1/6, when people did not merely defy the government but tried to overthrow/overturn it. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2022, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-everyone-seem-to-forget-about-the-capital-hill-autonomous-zone-and-why-didnt-it-have-as-big-an-impact-as-the-jan-6-riot/957290/3 "2022-01-06T01:22:52Z")
1. The Seattle protesters weren’t trying to shut down a branch of government. 2. Most of the violence occurred at night, when businesses and offices were unoccupied. 3. It’s Capitol Hill, not Capital Hill. 4. Yes. Anti-Trump good. Anti-democracy bad. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2022, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-everyone-seem-to-forget-about-the-capital-hill-autonomous-zone-and-why-didnt-it-have-as-big-an-impact-as-the-jan-6-riot/957290/4 "2022-01-06T01:26:39Z")
Why was a protest less important than trying to overthrow the US government?! I can’t treat that question seriously as it answers itself. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2022, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-everyone-seem-to-forget-about-the-capital-hill-autonomous-zone-and-why-didnt-it-have-as-big-an-impact-as-the-jan-6-riot/957290/5 "2022-01-06T01:30:57Z")
January 6th was an attack against the foundation of our democratic system and stuff basically every American knows and holds central: that we have a peaceful election every four years for the President of the United States and a peaceful transition of power. It was also attack on one of the premiere Federal buildings that everyone recognizes as a symbol of US government. CHAZ was a lengthy protest in an area most Americans are unfamiliar with and doesn’t affect them in any way, real or symbolic. It was also an offshoot of the George Floyd protests versus an attempt to undermine the central tenets of our democratic system. ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2022, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-everyone-seem-to-forget-about-the-capital-hill-autonomous-zone-and-why-didnt-it-have-as-big-an-impact-as-the-jan-6-riot/957290/6 "2022-01-06T01:31:22Z")
> [@Beanz](#): > > everyone seems to have forgotten the latter despite it lasting for a lot longer. (did anyone even get charged with anything from the latter?). Is it because Jan 6 targeted a protected class (politicians) and the other only affected the lower class that the media does not focus on it? Also, there were a lot of protests that year, including several occupation protests (see Portland). This particular one doesn’t especially stand out. ---
**Author:** ![Beanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/94ad74/32.png) [@Beanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beanz)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2022, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-everyone-seem-to-forget-about-the-capital-hill-autonomous-zone-and-why-didnt-it-have-as-big-an-impact-as-the-jan-6-riot/957290/7 "2022-01-06T01:41:30Z")
Looks I seem to have forgotten that politicians have an actual role instead of just being blood sucking parasites lol thanks I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2022, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-everyone-seem-to-forget-about-the-capital-hill-autonomous-zone-and-why-didnt-it-have-as-big-an-impact-as-the-jan-6-riot/957290/8 "2022-01-06T04:36:30Z")
You might notice from the charges which have been filed in connection with the treason on January 6, 2021, there’s nothing to do with politicians being a protected class, but rather it’s the building and the event that were protected. At least that’s the way it appears to me. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2022, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-everyone-seem-to-forget-about-the-capital-hill-autonomous-zone-and-why-didnt-it-have-as-big-an-impact-as-the-jan-6-riot/957290/9 "2022-01-06T05:20:43Z")
The Capitol Hill Occupied Protest caused one death confirmed- > **[Capitol Hill Occupied Protest | During the zone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capitol_Hill_Occupied_Protest#During_the_zone)** > > During the early morning of June 20, two people were shot in separate incidents at the edge of the protest zone. It was unclear if the shootings were connected to the protests. According to Carmen Best, police officers had wanted to reach the scene quicker but were prevented by protesters; however, an analysis by KUOW based on 911 transcripts, video recordings, and eyewitness testimony suggested that miscommunication between the SPD and the Seattle Fire Department slowed the e Emergency dispatche... "16-year-old black male, Antonio Mays Jr., was killed " amd one maybe, at the edge, before the zone was fully set up. January 6: 5 deaths (1 from gunshot, 1 from drug overdose, 3 from natural causes)[[18]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_United_States_Capitol_attack#cite_note-18)[[19]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_United_States_Capitol_attack#cite_note-Massimo-19) Injuries \* Unknown number of rioters, including at least five hospitalized[[20]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_United_States_Capitol_attack#cite_note-DB-hosp-20) - At least 138 police officers (73 Capitol Police officers, 65 [Metropolitan Police Department](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolitan_Police_Department_of_the_District_of_Columbia) officers),[[21]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_United_States_Capitol_attack#cite_note-SchmidtBroadwater-21) including at least 15 hospitalized[[2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_United_States_Capitol_attack#cite_note-AJCTwoSuspended-22) [January 6 United States Capitol attack - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_United_States_Capitol_attack) and Four officers who responded to the attack [died by suicide](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_enforcement_response_to_the_2021_United_States_Capitol_attack#Suicides) within seven months.[[33]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_United_States_Capitol_attack#cite_note-34) Now, there is no doubt that the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest was a really tragic and sad thing. The death of a child, maybe one adult, and several injured, plus quite a bit of property damage. But the endgame there was not the violent overthrow of the US government, it was cutting the police budget. And note the reason behind the two: Seattle- The Police are killing too many black men. Which is true. DC- we are a bunch of sore, deluded losers. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2022, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-everyone-seem-to-forget-about-the-capital-hill-autonomous-zone-and-why-didnt-it-have-as-big-an-impact-as-the-jan-6-riot/957290/10 "2022-01-06T12:32:17Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > a peaceful election > > and a peaceful transition of power This is what separates functioning democracies from dictatorships. The person who is in charge of the Armed Forces walks away when their time is up. This is the thing that prevents tyranny, not the 1st Amendment, not the 2nd Amendment, not Checks and Balances or the Courts, or any Rules written down on some old piece of paper. The Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces goes away peacefully when the people elect someone else. January 6 was an attempt to interrupt that process. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2022, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-everyone-seem-to-forget-about-the-capital-hill-autonomous-zone-and-why-didnt-it-have-as-big-an-impact-as-the-jan-6-riot/957290/11 "2022-01-06T15:42:51Z")
> [@Beanz](#): > > Strangely, I can not find a single comparison or even reference to the similar Capital Hill Autonomous Zone event that happened just a few months later. I think you mean a few months earlier. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2022, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-everyone-seem-to-forget-about-the-capital-hill-autonomous-zone-and-why-didnt-it-have-as-big-an-impact-as-the-jan-6-riot/957290/12 "2022-01-06T15:53:53Z")
OP, there appears to be some errors of fact in your OP. As others have mentioned, the CHAZ happened _before_ the treasonous attack on the US Capitol. Also, the CHAZ was not an insurrection. It doesn’t seem to be similar in any way to the attack on the US Capitol. It was more like a prolonged protest to police violence, similar to other such protests. The treasonous attack on the US Capitol was short-lasting and was instigated by the US president, neither of which are similar to CHAZ. Maybe ask a mod to close this thread and try again with a more fact-based thread? ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2022, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-everyone-seem-to-forget-about-the-capital-hill-autonomous-zone-and-why-didnt-it-have-as-big-an-impact-as-the-jan-6-riot/957290/13 "2022-01-06T16:00:45Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > Maybe ask a mod to close this thread and try again with a more fact-based thread? Good idea. The OP has been answered and it is going nowhere. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2022, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-everyone-seem-to-forget-about-the-capital-hill-autonomous-zone-and-why-didnt-it-have-as-big-an-impact-as-the-jan-6-riot/957290/14 "2022-01-06T16:01:01Z")