On Jan. 6, 2021, thousands of Americans descended on Washington D.C. to hear Donald Trump repeat his claim that the election had been stolen from him before urging his supporters to march down to the Capitol.
By that point, the crowd was bubbling with rage. “There’s gonna be a war,” a New Yorker correspondent covering the rally heard one man say. “I’m ready to fight,” another shouted.
Violence felt eminent. But no one expected what came next — people ripping through the barriers surrounding the Capitol, charging at the officers attempting to fend them off with shields and pepper spray, before they finally forced their way into the building.
“It was like something out of a zombie movie. Where hordes of these rioters just kept coming and coming,” one photographer recalled.
The scenes from that day are some of the most bizarre and horrifying images captured in 2021. On the first anniversary of the Capitol riot, take a look at some of the most poignant photos from Jan. 6.
Supporters of President Donald Trump gather outside of the Capitol. (Getty Images)Police and security forces spray rioters with pepper spray outside the Capitol. (Getty Images)A noose was erected outside the Capitol, as rioters stormed the building. (Getty Images)A mob forces its way into the Capitol building. (Getty Images)A man carries a Trump flag inside the Capitol, near the Senate chamber. (Getty Images)Protesters clash with police and security officers outside the Capitol. (Getty Images)A crowd gathers at the “Stop the Steal” rally to protest the ratification of President Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory. (Getty Images)Jacob Chansley, the man who became known as the “QAnon shaman” screams inside the Capitol. (Getty Images)Capitol police officers point their guns at a door and barricade it shut to keep rioters out of the House Chamber. (Getty Images)Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.) comforts Rep. Susan Wild (D-Pa.) while taking cover as protesters disrupt the joint session of Congress. (Getty Images)After breaking into the Capitol, rioters take photos of themselves in the Rotunda. (Getty Images)A man dangles from the balcony in the Senate Chamber. (Getty Images)Rioters stand on top of Capitol police armored vehicles as others take the steps of the Capitol. (Getty Images)Trump supporter Kevin Seefried carries a Confederate flag inside the Capitol. (Getty Images)Former President Trump delivers a speech at a rally held near the Capitol. (Getty Images)Capitol police and security guard the building against rioters. (Getty Images)Tear gas is fired at the mob storming the Capitol. (Getty Images)Adam Johnson, 36, smiles and waves as he carries House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s lectern through the Capitol. (Getty Images)A mob attempts to push past the metal barriers protecting the Capitol. (Getty Images)Rioters gather outside the Capitol, as they attempt to breach the building. (Getty Images)
Want more great content?
Sign up here to jumpstart your mornings with Katie's dynamic daily newsletter, Wake-Up Call.
