‘This Is Not a Peaceful Protest!’

It’s been five years since the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Based on extensive video and audio evidence, NPR has constructed a timeline of the lead-up to the attack, the events of January 6, and the aftermath:

On the morning of Jan. 6, 2021, Trump held a “Save America” rally at the Ellipse, a site near the White House and approximately 2 miles away from the U.S. Capitol. Multiple speakers promoted false claims of voter fraud and advocated for Pence to overturn the election results…. The U.S. Secret Service screened approximately 28,000 people who watched Trump’s speech at the Ellipse. Agents confiscated “269 knives or blades, 242 canisters of pepper spray, 18 brass knuckles, 18 tasers, 6 pieces of body armor, 3 gas masks, [and] 30 batons or blunt instruments,” according to a subsequent congressional investigation.