The unprecedented assaulted the United States Congress by radical followers of the president Donald Trump has generated a rain of criticism to the ruler, for having instigated him , but also to the security in charge of the custody of the Capitol.
Nobody can explain how it could happen that a protest called days ago, and that Trump himself had anticipated that it would be “wild”, would end up with people with flags in the corridors of Congress, taking photos or sitting in the seats of legislators after having forcibly crossed a police cordon clearly insufficient to stop a violent crowd.
The president-elect , Joe Biden, whose electoral victory the congressmen were confirming then, criticized the police action on Thursday and, like many others, wondered what would have happened if instead of followers of Trump the violent robbers of the police fences h They might have been African-American.
Justice with different standards There was a “ clear failure when it comes to apply justice with the same standard “, said today at a press conference Biden, that in two weeks he will have to take charge of the Presidency.
“No one can tell me that if it had been a group from the Black Lives Matter movement ( Black Lives Matter) the one who protested yesterday, would not have been treated in a very, very different way than the mob of thugs that broke into the Capitol ”,
Despite the deployment of 340 soldiers of the National Guard before a protest that 15, 000 At the participants, including right-wing radicals and white supremacists, authorities had to ask for help on the march from nearby police forces and other 150 guards to regain the control
Unlike the governors of the states, the mayor of the capital, Muriel Bowser, cannot summon the Guard National on its own, but needs the approval of the Pentagon , something that was achieved last night thanks to the intervention, not of Trump, but of Vice President Mike Pence.
An anticipated assault In addition, the organizers themselves had warned that the protest, which coincided with the Legislative session to confirm Biden’s electoral victory , was intended to prevent it.
“It is up to US citizens” to prevent fraud, he had said in his convocation “ March for Trump “, echoing the constant unfounded allegations of irregularities of the ruler.
The Secretary of the Army, Ryan McCarthy, said today that an attack against the Capitol as the one that occurred, which left four dead , was not even in his “wildest imagination.”
Although the CNN chain reported this Thursday of a fifth deceased, a police officer, the Capitol Police later denied in a statement that none of its agents had died.
By his side, Washington Metropolitan Police Chief Robert Contee, noted that no “intelligence information” seemed to suggest that there would be an assault on the Capitol .
However, on social media, extremist groups close to Trump had been discussing plans for days to gain entry to the legislature and interrupt Biden’s confirmation.
Mayor Bowser had to urgently decree a curfew that today extended until the next 21 January , a day after Biden takes office, wondering if political violence is going to turn into “l to a new normal ”from USA
The Secretary of the Army indicated that the activation of the National Guard in the capital and new fences that have been mounted around the Capitol as a result of the serious incidents on Wednesday will also continue until after the presidential handover.
Requests to resign The police response to the assault today led to the Democratic leaders of the Lower House and the Senate, Nancy Pelosi and Charles Schumer, to request the resignation of the Capitol Police Chief and of those responsible for the security of both houses.
Hours later, Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund resigned, effective as of 16 January, after being the subject of Pelosi’s harshest criticism.
“Mr. Sund, you haven’t even called us since this happened,” said the Speaker of the Lower House at a press conference.
Legislators from both houses and both parties pledged today to investigate how Capitol security allowed mobs to penetrate the building .
What happened was “a massive failure of institutions, protocols and planning to protect the first branch of our federal government, ”said Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, ultimately blaming“ the unhinged criminals who broke down doors, trampled on our nation’s flag, fought with the forces of order and tried to disturb our democracy , and who they incited them. ”
McConell did not mention at any time to Trump by name.
By Hernán Martín