These are not protestors, they are white supremacist, anti-democratic, insurrectionists.

In response to a violent mob attacking the Capitol to interfere with the democratic process of transfer of power, Alison Friedman, Protest the Protest task force coordinator said:

“We welcome the rich tradition of protest in this country. This is not a protest. These are not protestors, they are white supremacist, anti-democratic, insurrectionists attacking our country and our people.This violence is intentionally stoked by President Trump who is refusing to believe that millions of people voted him out of office.

“People have the right to speak truth to power and to protest. They do not have a right to violently storm the United States Capitol to try to stop the long held tradition of the peaceful transfer of power in this democracy. It is ironic that the day after President Trump declares antifascists as terrorists, the fascists overwhelm law enforcement and force the evacuation of Congress during the electoral college formal process. The selective and racist police response to these violent white supremacists illustrates the disparate treatment often shown to Indigenous water defenders and the Black Lives Matter protestors. 

“It is shocking that the U.S. Capitol was not better prepared for the far-right’s desperate attempt to usurp our democratic process after they have been tweeting about it for months.  An extensive investigation must be undertaken to determine who was complicit in permitting this disruption of the electoral process and the transfer of power.

“The 25th amendment should be immediately invoked and President Trump should be thrown out of office or jailed as soon as possible. He is a disgrace to this country.”

Media Contact:

Valentina Stackl, Protect the Protest, vstackl@greenpeace.org, (734) 276 6260