The Hour has Come for Nonviolence
This is an ongoing update regarding events happening in Washington, DC. See our Election Actions page for more updates.
Today (Jan 6), Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol Building in DC, breaching six lines of Capitol Police security, and eventually reaching the floor of the House of Representatives and the offices of Congress members. They disrupted the proceedings to certify the election results and forced the evacuation of Vice President Pence and Congress members. After inflaming the crowd earlier in the day, President Trump eventually told the insurrectionists to “go home”. At this moment, police are still trying to clear the unruly and sometimes violent Trump supporters.
Is this a coup? Choose Democracy posted: “This is … not a coordinated insurrection across large sectors and pillars of society. As near as we can assess, the political spectrum has condemned the violence and force. The police are doing their expected job in this situation. Other sectors of society do not show any moves supporting this coup attempt.”
Read their full statement below. In this worrying moment, here are some practical things we can all do:
Denounce this assault on democracy. Use social media, letters to the editors, sidewalk chalking, whatever you need.
Make sure you and your community are safe. You do not need to counterprotest in the streets to be effective in working to stop this.
Contact members of Congress. Express concern for their wellbeing and their staff. Demand that President Trump be arrested, impeached, and removed for aggravating this assault on Congress and democracy.
Insist that the results of the election be certified and those who violently disrupted proceedings be arrested.
Prepare for a general strike (no work, no school, no shopping) if needed.
Break through fear. Reach out to others. Stay focused and centered.
Pace e Bene staff continues to follow this situation closely. We will post updates as soon as we know more. Our hearts are with you in this perilous moment for our country. It is a chilling reminder of why a culture of nonviolence is critically important for the functioning of democracy.
Full Statement from Choose Democracy at 3pm ET, January 6, 2021:
It is hard to comment thoughtfully in the midst of an out-of-control situation. We are currently watching an unruly mob, directly incited by POTUS, breach the exterior barriers and the interior of the Capitol and cause the shutdown of a constitutional proceeding and the immediate evacuation of the VP and Speaker. The stated goal of this incursion is to prevent and overturn the state-certified electoral results and at least 150 Republican House members have joined in formally contesting the results of the election.
This is also not a coordinated insurrection across large sectors and pillars of society. As near as we can assess, the political spectrum has condemned the violence and force. The police are doing their expected job in this situation. Other sectors of society do not show any moves supporting this coup attempt.
Notwithstanding all this, it still appears that this insurrection attempt will not alter the results, just forestall the inevitable and heap gasoline on the fire of discontent of Trumpers. This ugliness on the part of Trump-supporting fanatics is not a wholly unexpected, but fairly dramatic development. We have now entered a new chapter of fluidity in this situation, and we should all be on high alert for more surprises.