Just as the January 6th select committee begins their work in Congress, it appears as though the Trump faithful are planning to head to Washington in huge numbers.
The far-right segment of the GOP has a bit of reputation repair left to do, especially as the full picture of the January 6th insurrection comes into focus. The nation will soon be blanketed with imagery from that day, as well as examples of the behind-the-scenes communication that some of the more extremist participants were engaging in, and it’s going to leave a sour taste in many Americans’ mouths.
That’s they many are planning to return to the Capitol to demonstrate peacefully.
US Capitol Police said they are aware of a proposed rally that supporters of former president Donald Trump are planning in support of people who were arrested in connection to the insurrection on 6 January.
Matt Braynard, who was the data chief for Mr. Trump’s campaign, told former White House strategist Steve Bannon on Mr. Bannon’s podcast about a planned rally at the Capitol on behalf of “political prisoners” who were arrested for their actions on 6 January.
“We’re going back to the Capitol, right where it started. And it’s going to be huge,” Mr. Braynard said. “We’re going to push back on the phony narrative that there was an insurrection.”
A spokesperson for the US Capitol Police said they cannot provide permits or details about security plans.
The move is likely all about the optics.
By bringing more Redhats to the Capitol, and in large peaceful numbers, it dilutes the number of similar-looking incidents in the American psyche. Suddenly, instead of 100% of the MAGA/Capitol imagery being violent and turbulent, only half of what we know of that combination is troubling.
