Following the riots at Capitol Hill which saw four deaths and a lockdown of the complex which kept members of Congress hiding instead of certifying the Electoral College votes for Joe Biden, the D.C. Police Union and Metropolitan Police Department has spoken out and condemned the events while admitting that Capitol police seemed to be very under-prepared when it came to what occurred and suggesting that other activist movements targeting the police were also part of the problem.
See their full statement below:
“On January 6, 2021, a riot occurred at the U.S. Capitol and hundreds of people stormed the building. Many made their way into secure areas and even into the Senate Chamber and offices of elected officials.
As we have said every time there is riotous activity in the District, police officers will support everyone’s right to express their First Amendment Rights in this city. We will even risk our own safety to protect other’s right to do so. However, criminal activity and violence is not a protected right, and we will do everything within our legal authority to stop it. To be clear, we condemn, in the strongest possible terms, any and all violence used for such purposes, regardless of anyone’s politics.
The Metropolitan Police Department does not police federal buildings. The U.S. Capitol Police are responsible for the security and safety of that property. When they called us to assist, after they had been overrun, our members responding swiftly, heroically, and effectively.
Once MPD arrived, there were 68 arrests, dozens of weapons and firearms seized, 2 pipe bombs and a box of Molotov cocktails were seized and destroyed, the Capitol was secured in less than 2 hours, and hearings resumed a short time later. 56 officers were injured in the melee-2 were hospitalized.
When we arrived, it was obvious that our fellow officers of U.S. Capitol Police were trying valiantly to stop the onslaught of rioters. While it is unclear at this preliminary stage exactly how the building was breached so quickly, it appears likely that U.S. Capitol Police leadership was ill-prepared for this attack, both in manpower, and in resources.
The DC Police Union has consistently supported police reform efforts in the past and encourages a robust dialog with all parties about ways to improve policing in our community. However, it seems important now to consider some of the rhetoric that has become ubiquitous regarding defunding, disarming, and restricting professional policing in this city. Police serve one of the most important roles in society: safety and security in our daily lives.
In order to appropriately address threats like the one that happened yesterday, supporting and expanding professional and responsible policing is paramount to the safety of all. Such safety should not be undermined by misguided demagoguery and activism.”
DC Police hold a line after pushing a small group protestors out of Black Lives Matter Plaza near the White House.AFP / Brendan Smialowski
