Supporters of US president Donald Trump riot in front of the Capitol building on January 6. Reuters
Supporters of US president Donald Trump riot in front of the Capitol building on January 6. Reuters
Supporters of US president Donald Trump riot in front of the Capitol building on January 6. Reuters
Supporters of US president Donald Trump riot in front of the Capitol building on January 6. Reuters

January 6: the beginning of the end to American democracy?


Willy Lowry
  • English
  • Arabic

More details behind the January 6 insurrection in which a mob of former president Donald Trump's supporters stormed the US Capitol, some armed with bear spray and carrying zip tie restraints, continue to spill out in court proceedings, leaked documents and on social media.

For months, the Congressional January 6 committee has been investigating what started out as a “Stop the Steal” rally and ended in the deaths of five people, including a Capitol police officer.

The panel has called hundreds of witnesses and summoned some of Mr Trump's closest allies.

The former president spoke at the rally right before the riot began on January 6 and was also taped threatening Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger with legal ramifications if he failed to “find” enough votes to deliver the state.

“What I want to do is this: I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than [the 11,779-vote margin of defeat] we have, because we won the state,” Mr Trump can be heard saying to the official in a recording.

In his book Integrity Counts, Mr Raffensperger writes that contrary to the slogans the January 6 mob shouted, election fraud is not systemic, insisting: “Our elections are both fairer and more secure than they have been at any point in our history.”

Nearly a year later, federal prosecutors have charged more than 700 people from more than 40 states for their involvement in the insurrection, with more arrests and charges to come.

One of those arrested following the riot had a list of names scrawled on a piece of paper, including that of Ruby Freeman, a Georgia state election worker.

Most recently, police bodycam footage shows a publicist for Trump supporter Ye (formerly Kanye West) cajoling Ms Freeman to state that the Georgia election was rigged.

This claim of fraud was also supported by congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, in spite of accepting her own election victory that was certified by the same body.

Despite millions of dollars spent on election recounts in several other states, including Nevada and Arizona, no evidence has come to light proving election irregularities.

The fact that the day is viewed through polarising lenses reflects the nature of contemporary US politics.

“It's really the political meaning of it and how this symbolic meaning of an attack on the Capitol and even the verbiage that people might use. Was it an insurrection? Was it a riot? Was it an attack? Was it a demonstration?” said Thomas Balcerski, associate professor of early American history at Eastern Connecticut State University.

The event cast a pall over US politics and analysts wonder how long it will last.

Clifford Young, president of US Public Affairs at Ipsos, an international company specialising in market research and public opinion, believes it is here to stay.

“We are living in an era of hyper-polarisation,” Mr Young said.

“There's a widespread belief the system is broken, that partisan politicians no longer care about the average person and that the system is rigged.”

Mr Trump tapped into that sense of disenfranchisement among primarily white, working-class people across the country, using it to gain a devout following, pitting himself not only against his Democratic rivals but his Republican ones as well.

And more than a year since he lost the election, his presence continues to weigh heavily on the Republican Party and the country as a whole.

Eating their own

The events of January 6 have driven a wedge into the Republican Party that appears to only be widening as time goes on, with little room for moderates.

In May, the party ousted Liz Cheney, daughter of former vice president Dick Cheney, from her House leadership position over her denunciation of Mr Trump’s repeated false claims of voter fraud.

“We see how traditional moderate Republicans are no longer traditional nor moderate,” Mr Young told The National. “They're taking very sort of populist positions on things.”

As the party prepares for the 2022 midterm elections, it is leaning towards those populist tendencies and embracing a more conservative base than ever before.

Mr Young said that is not necessarily a bad strategy.

“Looking into 2022, they're going to do pretty well. And so, there’s definitely a high likelihood of them taking the House and a good chance for them to take the Senate,” he explained.

That would make it next to impossible for Mr Biden to carry out his ambitious social and economic reform policies.

Driving through conservative stretches of the country, the former president's continued popularity is on full display, with Trump flags flying high above countless homes and his red “Make America Great Again” caps (made in China) still the standard uniform of loyalists.

Given that Mr Trump is widely believed to be making another run for the presidency in 2024, the politics that he championed and the sentiments that led to January 6 appear to be here for several years to come.

Tearful appearance

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday. 

Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow. 

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

Company%20Profile
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Youth YouTuber Programme

The programme will be presented over two weeks and will cover the following topics:

- Learning, scripting, storytelling and basic shots

- Master on-camera presence and advanced script writing

- Beating the algorithm and reaching your core audience

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Engine: 51.5kW electric motor

Range: 400km

Power: 134bhp

Torque: 175Nm

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While you're here
India squad

Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, K.L. Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant, Shivam Dube, Kedar Jadhav, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Deepak Chahar, Mohammed Shami, Shardul Thakur.

ELIO

Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett

Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina

Rating: 4/5

UAE%20set%20for%20Scotland%20series
%3Cp%3EThe%20UAE%20will%20host%20Scotland%20for%20a%20three-match%20T20I%20series%20at%20the%20Dubai%20International%20Stadium%20next%20month.%3Cbr%3EThe%20two%20sides%20will%20start%20their%20Cricket%20World%20Cup%20League%202%20campaigns%20with%20a%20tri-series%20also%20involving%20Canada%2C%20starting%20on%20January%2029.%3Cbr%3EThat%20series%20will%20be%20followed%20by%20a%20bilateral%20T20%20series%20on%20March%2011%2C%2013%20and%2014.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

SPECS

Nissan 370z Nismo

Engine: 3.7-litre V6

Transmission: seven-speed automatic

Power: 363hp

Torque: 560Nm

Price: Dh184,500

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
'My Son'

Director: Christian Carion

Starring: James McAvoy, Claire Foy, Tom Cullen, Gary Lewis

Rating: 2/5

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home. 

The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet

THE BIO

Favourite holiday destination: Whenever I have any free time I always go back to see my family in Caltra, Galway, it’s the only place I can properly relax.

Favourite film: The Way, starring Martin Sheen. It’s about the Camino de Santiago walk from France to Spain.

Personal motto: If something’s meant for you it won’t pass you by.

Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi

Director: Kangana Ranaut, Krish Jagarlamudi

Producer: Zee Studios, Kamal Jain

Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Ankita Lokhande, Danny Denzongpa, Atul Kulkarni

Rating: 2.5/5

How to join and use Abu Dhabi’s public libraries

• There are six libraries in Abu Dhabi emirate run by the Department of Culture and Tourism, including one in Al Ain and Al Dhafra.

• Libraries are free to visit and visitors can consult books, use online resources and study there. Most are open from 8am to 8pm on weekdays, closed on Fridays and have variable hours on Saturdays, except for Qasr Al Watan which is open from 10am to 8pm every day.

• In order to borrow books, visitors must join the service by providing a passport photograph, Emirates ID and a refundable deposit of Dh400. Members can borrow five books for three weeks, all of which are renewable up to two times online.

• If users do not wish to pay the fee, they can still use the library’s electronic resources for free by simply registering on the website. Once registered, a username and password is provided, allowing remote access.

• For more information visit the library network's website.

Company Profile

Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million

MATCH INFO

Who: UAE v USA
What: first T20 international
When: Friday, 2pm
Where: ICC Academy in Dubai

MATCH INFO

Real Madrid 2 (Benzema 13', Kroos 28')
Barcelona 1 (Mingueza 60')

Red card: Casemiro (Real Madrid)

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million 
Points to remember
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  • Build the relationship and dialogue by seeking to find common ground
  • Express passion for the issue but be aware of when you're losing control or when there's anger. If there is, pause and take some time out.
  • Listen actively without interrupting
  • Avoid assumptions, seek understanding, ask questions
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The specs: Macan Turbo

Engine: Dual synchronous electric motors
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Cricket World Cup League Two

Oman, UAE, Namibia

Al Amerat, Muscat

 

Results

Oman beat UAE by five wickets

UAE beat Namibia by eight runs

 

Fixtures

Wednesday January 8 –Oman v Namibia

Thursday January 9 – Oman v UAE

Saturday January 11 – UAE v Namibia

Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia

Company%20profile%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EElggo%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20August%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Luma%20Makari%20and%20Mirna%20Mneimneh%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Education%20technology%20%2F%20health%20technology%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESize%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Four%20employees%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Pre-seed%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
ASSASSIN'S%20CREED%20MIRAGE
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SPECS
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Hurricanes 31-31 Lions

Wellington Hurricanes: 
Tries: Gibbins, Laumape, Goosen, Fifita tries, Barrett
Conversions: Barrett (4)
Penalties: Barrett

British & Irish Lions:
Tries: Seymour (2), North
Conversions: Biggar (2)
Penalties: Biggar (4)

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MO
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RESULTS

Welterweight

Tohir Zhuraev (TJK) beat Mostafa Radi (PAL)

(Unanimous points decision)

Catchweight 75kg

Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR) beat Leandro Martins (BRA)

(Second round knockout)

Flyweight (female)

Manon Fiorot (FRA) beat Corinne Laframboise (CAN)

(RSC in third round)

Featherweight

Bogdan Kirilenko (UZB) beat Ahmed Al Darmaki

(Disqualification)

Lightweight

Izzedine Al Derabani (JOR) beat Rey Nacionales (PHI)

(Unanimous points)

Featherweight

Yousef Al Housani (UAE) beat Mohamed Fargan (IND)

(TKO first round)

Catchweight 69kg

Jung Han-gook (KOR) beat Max Lima (BRA)

(First round submission by foot-lock)

Catchweight 71kg

Usman Nurmogamedov (RUS) beat Jerry Kvarnstrom (FIN)

(TKO round 1).

Featherweight title (5 rounds)

Lee Do-gyeom (KOR) v Alexandru Chitoran (ROU)

(TKO round 1).

Lightweight title (5 rounds)

Bruno Machado (BRA) beat Mike Santiago (USA)

(RSC round 2).

Updated: December 20, 2021, 10:45 PM`