The “justice for January 6” rally took place in Washington, D.C., on Saturday as a crowd of fewer than 100 people gathered at the Capitol building to support the defendants in the Capitol riot.
There was a heavy security presence at the Capitol as the small group of protesters arrived. Helicopters circled in the air and large crowds of police on bicycles surrounded the area. Trucks and police cars also blocked several roads in D.C. in anticipation of the rally.
Members of the media and a large group of police officers on bikes surrounded one counter-protester who was at the event with a large anti-Trump sign.
Watch as police and media swarm a solitary counter protester with a huge bike trailer/anti-Trump sign pic.twitter.com/6MsN5dIKMZ
— Richie🎥McG🍿 (@RichieMcGinniss) September 18, 2021
Riot police with large shields and park police on horses also surrounded the demonstration.
Riot shields abound out here: pic.twitter.com/kZsrKi2asA
— Richie🎥McG🍿 (@RichieMcGinniss) September 18, 2021
More counter-protesters stood on the National Mall outside of the rally.
Things got tense later in the afternoon when a group of protesters ran into a group of counter-protesters. One counter-protester with a megaphone called a man on the other side a “white supremacist” before being told to move back by police.
One protester said there “was no need for violence” and the counter-protester said “that’s the only reason why the Proud Boys came out, was for violence.”
“We’re going to come pay you and your families a visit, motherf*ckers,” the counter-protester told the Trump supporters. A line of police officers got between them to try and ease tensions.
Shortly before 3:00 PM, the crowd had mostly dispersed from the rally.
Crowd mostly dispersed from the rally pic.twitter.com/D9TPpq0gX2
— Richie🎥McG🍿 (@RichieMcGinniss) September 18, 2021
The number of people from the media and police officers significantly outnumbered the number of attendees who were at the event.
U.S. Capitol Police requested National Guard presence to help with security for the demonstration. Officials prepared for an armed demonstration and reconstructed the fence outside the Capitol that was put up after the Capitol riot.
