DC Unrest Megathread

[Middle-aged Europe]

The foreign minister of Germany, Heiko Maas:


https://twitter.com/HeikoMaas/status/1346917794827309057

"The enemies of democracy will be happy about the inconceivable pictures from Washington, D.C. Seditious words become violent actions - on the steps of the Reichstag and now in the Capitol. The disdain for democratic institutions has devastating consequences."


https://twitter.com/HeikoMaas/status/1346918478498963470

"Trump and his supporters should finally accept the decision of the American voters and stop trampling democracy under their feet."

[Calthrina950]

Trolling from an Islamist dictator:

https://twitter.com/anadoluagency/status/1346914622083891205

Our country's international reputation has been permanently ruined because of Donald Trump. China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran must be dancing for joy at seeing this.

[randomusername]

https://twitter.com/mjahanna/status/1346937057373868032
Um, how?

The only way he would have that power would be if the 25th has been invoked...

https://twitter.com/DanLamothe/status/1346936509484695554

Everyone he talked to but not one of them being the "President".

[Del Tachi]

Also, all the talking heads on CNN calling this a literal "insurrection" will get what they're asking for.  If you go too far in demonizing these protesters/rioters, then you will invariably create the very demons you're supposedly petrified by. 

Law enforcement has learned to deescalate situations for the sake of public safety (which appears to be what's going on at the moment); I only wish our news media had the same sense of civic responsibility. 

The true enemy of the people.  100%

This is deranged, even for you. You are looking at this and what you are seeing is protesters being DEMONIZED? WTF man? Get a grip.

Literally the only thing that makes this any different than BLM riots/protesters is that the building is big and white with a pretty dome and columns and Yasss Kween Nancy Pelosi and Maxine Waters work there.  Occupying and damaging a police precinct building is literally no different that what is going on today.  Police power, the electoral college and Congress are all equally-legitimate manifestations of our civil government.  Its the same s[inks]t, yet the level of vitriol and pearl clutching going on are oceans apart. 

So...a police station and the US Capitol are the same thing now?
Excellent, time to go to my new local US capitol building to propose some new legislation for this country.

Yes.   Police officers have jobs to do.  Members of Congress have jobs to do.  Both operate under the authority given to them by the Constitution. Anyone who tries disrupting that with riots/protests is attempting to delegitimize our system of government.

[The Dowager Mod]

Watching Trump and his terrorist thugs trying to shred the Constitution I once swore to preserve, protect and defend infuriates me.

[OSR stands with Israel]

I’m so relieved that I didn’t give in to the temptations I had multiple times during the last year to vote for Trump .

He’s such a terrible human being , and I would have felt guilty  it for a long long time if I had done so , so I’m so relieved that I refused to vote for the guy

[Chips]

You know what? Screw the GOP. Screw it until it gets it's act together.

I'm now proud to be part of the resistance that brought the GOP from total power to a sudden lack of it!

No offence to good Republicans on here.

You, OSR and PQG (probably missing more) have even greater respect from me than before.

Thanks man. I have no idea what to say. I'm absolutely disgusted and I feel gross inside for ever supporting Trump in the first place. It was rather late into last year until I realized my mistake too. But I've certainly learned from it now!

[Splash]

https://twitter.com/AnaCabrera/status/1346937843919294467

[Estrella]

IIRC, the most recent time an angry mob invaded a national legislature was in 2017 in Macedonia, when far-right groups violently entered the building in response to election of an ethnic Albanian as speaker.

So congratulations, oldest democracy in the world, today you're as democratic as a small, forgettable ex-Yugo country.

[Badger]

Armed protesters have also taken over the Capitol buildings in GA and KS.

Link?

[Santander]

Trump should not be impeached or removed from office. That would turn him into a martyr and further radicalized his supporters.

[Former President tack50]

IIRC, the most recent time an angry mob invaded a national legislature was in 2017 in Macedonia, when far-right groups violently entered the building in response to election of an ethnic Albanian as speaker.

So congratulations, oldest democracy in the world, today you're as democratic as a small, forgettable ex-Yugo country.

Wasn't the Armenian parliament invaded after the country surrendered during their recent war?

[Interlocutor is just not there yet]

Why isn't the police doing more? They should remove the rioters, by force if necessary. This is lawlessness in the extreme.

It's incredible seeing this after a year of nationwide protests.

We know the police can stop this, we've seen them brutalize protests with tear gas and rubber bullets for months.
They are deliberately choosing not to do their jobs.

I still don't get this.  Why are these rioters not being arrested?  If this was peaceful protestors in wheelchairs protesting Obamacare repeal bills they'd all have twist ties around their hands.  

We need massive police reform immediately.

I'm honestly tickled by the shock and appalled feelings towards law enforcement today. My social media feeds are flooded with BLM organizers & protesters who are not surprised at all by law enforcement's reaction today. Just cause it's DC Police doesn't make it any better or worse.

I'm not surprised at all. Law enforcement has been an increasingly right-wing sector that's being consumed by MAGAheads & QAnon believers. And between the Floyd protests and today, it's now on display for the entire world to see.

[Never Made it to Graceland]

Watching Trump and his terrorist thugs trying to shred the Constitution I once swore to preserve, protect and defend infuriates me.

That moldy piece of paper's extreme limitations are the reason why Trump happened and why this will continue to happen.

[Person Man]

Trump should not be impeached or removed from office. That would turn him into a martyr and further radicalized his supporters.

At this point, his supporters’ needs or wishes are irrelevant.

[Omolloy]

Y'all probably already saw this but Rep. Cori Bush is calling for the expulsion of the "coup caucus"

https://twitter.com/RepCori/status/1346926083350794240

They deserve it. But practically, it cannot and should not ever happen. Because it will lead to more strife and more pain, as the crazies will see nothing but the "radical left" persecuting true patriots or some garbage. And so those fools Cruz and Hawley who helped pry open this Pandora's Box of insanity will get off scot free and can adjust their public image accordingly after the fact.

It's horrible.

These crazy will see the "radical left" persecuting true patriots no matter what happens. All it took for them to assault the government was a fair and free election that didn't go their way. There's zero point in trying to pander to these people, they will just see what they want to see. They're the same people who think Joe Biden of all people is a radical leftist.

[Asta]

I don't know what's more pathetic: the fact that the basket of deplorables exercise their freedom of speech in this manner or that there are people like Del Tachi and Sanchez that are blaming this on Antifa/BLM and the media.

[Horus]

I’m so relieved that I didn’t give in to the temptations I had multiple times during the last year to vote for Trump .

He’s such a terrible human being , and I would have felt guilty  it for a long long time if I had done so , so I’m so relieved that I refused to vote for the guy

I disagree with you on almost everything but you absolutely love America. Respect.

[Holy Unifying Centrist]

Trump should not be impeached or removed from office. That would turn him into a martyr and further radicalized his supporters.

I disagree. Impeaching and removing President Trump would show that the US Government does not back down to terrorists. We punish them.

They wanted Trump to be President for life. Instead, he's shown the boot early.

[ultraviolet]

The most important thing to remember is that these traitors will lose in the end. Democracy is not over in America. Let’s come back stronger

[Santander]

Trump should not be impeached or removed from office. That would turn him into a martyr and further radicalized his supporters.

At this point, his supporters’ needs or wishes are irrelevant.

Trump is leaving office in 2 weeks. Removing him a few days early is not worth the cost.

[Frodo]

Trump should not be impeached or removed from office. That would turn him into a martyr and further radicalized his supporters.

I'm past caring at this point.  Either the rule of law applies to the President of the United States, or it doesn't.  There is no middle ground.  

[Penn_Quaker_Girl]

Ireland has weighed in. 

https://mobile.twitter.com/MichealMartinTD/status/1346928544715206658

[Tartarus Sauce]

Saw some comments on Twitter referring to this as a "Mountain Dew Putsch." Seems pretty apt.

[John Dule]

Trump should not be impeached or removed from office. That would turn him into a martyr and further radicalized his supporters.

I agreed with this until today.