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1/ A couple of thoughts on Capitol Police response on Wednesday, based on current knowledge
1) Unquestionable that leadership failed to anticipate and prepare, and
2) SOME officers appear to have aided the rioters, but
3) MOST officers appear to have done the right thing.
1) Unquestionable that leadership failed to anticipate and prepare, and
2) SOME officers appear to have aided the rioters, but
3) MOST officers appear to have done the right thing.
2/ With the resources they had, they could not hold the perimeter. But most officers fought like hell to do so.
Once the barricades were breached - and then the building - the officers were in a sea of rioters. Taking aggressive action at that point could've been a bloodbath.
Once the barricades were breached - and then the building - the officers were in a sea of rioters. Taking aggressive action at that point could've been a bloodbath.
3/ They did, however, draw a hard line at the space where Members were - that's how one rioter was shot and killed.
Although the Speaker's office is in the Capitol, other Members' offices are not. The police appear to have focused on protecting them rather than the building.
Although the Speaker's office is in the Capitol, other Members' offices are not. The police appear to have focused on protecting them rather than the building.
4/ That was probably the right call. Where protecting property might lead to serious violence - including loss of life of the police, given the numbers - they had little choice.
5/ This is markedly different from many departments' responses to BLM and other protests, where police used violence as a first resort, where protestors were either peaceful or, in some cases, only destroying property.
6/ But we shouldn't conclude that the RIGHT response here would've been for police to use the same kind of violence. Rather, in some ways, the police response here - again, once they found themselves overwhelmed - could be a model for less-violent responses.
7/ It's not at all a model for preparing, and it's hard to believe that racism and/or ideology didn't factor into that - as well as the decision to let people go rather than locking down the building and arresting everyone inside, once they had the numbers to do so.
8/ Again this contrasts markedly with the approach to BLM protestors, who have been repeatedly "kettled" and arrested rather than being permitted to disperse.
9/ All that's to say - Capitol police leadership made some very poor decisions, likely informed by bias. Capitol police officers mostly appear to have behaved the way we would want them to in order to avoid unnecessary loss of life.
