A few hundred protesters turned up in Washington on Saturday to rally in support of the rioters who ransacked the US Capitol on Jan. 6, but they were outnumbered by a robust security presence and journalists.
Police who were caught on the back foot by the deadly riot on Capitol Hill in support of former US president Donald Trump took no chances this time: They used a security fence around the Capitol complex, police in riot gear and rows of armored trucks to keep the peace.
Organizers of the “Justice for J6” rally — who said they wanted to draw attention to those held over the riot who did not commit violent offenses — had received a permit for 700 people to gather near the Capitol’s reflecting pool, but far fewer showed up.
Chants of “Let them go” rose from the demonstrators as speakers took to the podium to decry what they called US President Joe Biden’s administration detention of “political prisoners.”
“Their rights are being violated,” said David Thacker, a 63-year-old attendee from Virginia. “Their crimes do not justify the way they are being treated.”
Members of the US Congress were not in the building as the rally unfolded under the watchful eye of police in riot gear with shields, with many lawmakers still on summer recess and not back in Washington until next week.
Look Ahead America, which organized the event and is planning similar rallies across the country in the coming weeks, had appealed for attendees to show respect to law enforcement officers and refrain from bringing Trump banners.
However, some carried signs that read “Free Biden’s political prisoners” or “Justice for Ashli Babbitt,” a woman who was fatally shot by police on Jan. 6 as she tried to breach the US House of Representatives.
US Capitol Police said 400 to 450 people were inside the protest area, excluding law enforcement — but that would include the numerous journalists on site.
Daniel, a 35-year-old who only gave his first name, said he had a few friends who were being detained pending trial.
“I think they should release them,” he said.
Pointing at the Capitol, he added: “That’s our Capitol, for taxpayers, so we’re allowed to go in there when we want.”
Four people were arrested on Saturday near the Capitol, including two for weapons charges.
Nearly half of China’s major cities are suffering “moderate to severe” levels of subsidence, putting millions of people at risk of flooding, especially as sea levels rise, according to a study of nationwide satellite data released yesterday. The authors of the paper, published by the journal Science, found that 45 percent of China’s urban land was sinking faster than 3mm per year, with 16 percent at more than 10mm per year, driven not only by declining water tables, but also the sheer weight of the built environment. With China’s urban population already in excess of 900 million people, “even a small portion
UNSETTLING IMAGES: The scene took place in front of TV crews covering the Trump trial, with a CNN anchor calling it an ‘emotional and unbelievably disturbing moment’ A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former US president Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said yesterday. The New York City Police Department (NYPD) said the man was declared dead by staff at an area hospital. The man was in Collect Pond Park at about 1:30pm on Friday when he took out pamphlets espousing conspiracy theories, tossed them around, then doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire, officials and witnesses said. A large number of police officers were nearby when it happened. Some officers and bystanders rushed
Beijing is continuing to commit genocide and crimes against humanity against Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in its western Xinjiang province, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a report published on Monday, ahead of his planned visit to China this week. The State Department’s annual human rights report, which documents abuses recorded all over the world during the previous calendar year, repeated language from previous years on the treatment of Muslims in Xinjiang, but the publication raises the issue ahead of delicate talks, including on the war in Ukraine and global trade, between the top U.S. diplomat and Chinese
‘IN A DIFFERENT PLACE’: The envoy first visited Shanghai, where he attended a Chinese basketball playoff match, and is to meet top officials in Beijing tomorrow US Secretary of State Antony Blinken yesterday arrived in China on his second visit in a year as the US ramps up pressure on its rival over its support for Russia while also seeking to manage tensions with Beijing. The US diplomat tomorrow is to meet China’s top brass in Beijing, where he is also expected to plead for restraint as Taiwan inaugurates president-elect William Lai (賴清德), and to raise US concerns on Chinese trade practices. However, Blinken is also seeking to stabilize ties, with tensions between the world’s two largest economies easing since his previous visit in June last year. At the