Police make their way through protesters at the U.S. Capitol Building on January 06, 2021 in Washington, DC.
As supporters of President Donald Trump attempted a coup of the Capitol building in Washington, DC, people noticed a stark difference to how the city looked during Black Lives Matter protests last year.
Last summer, protests broke out across the US in response to police killings of unarmed Black men and women, including Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and Jacob Blake. These protests were often met with a large response from police, including the use of tear gas and physical violence.
Roberto Schmidt / Getty Images
TOPSHOT – United States Park Police pushes back protestors near the White House on June 1.
On Wednesday, the storming of the Capitol Building was attended by police, some in riot gear, some who did draw their weapons, as well as the National Guard. But, people couldn’t help but notice how different the images from the attempted coup looked compared to BLM protests.
In response, people have been sharing photos of the BLM protests next to scenes from Washington to demonstrate the difference.
This photo (which some incorrectly stated was taken in front of the Capitol Building) shows the National Guard in formation in front of the Lincoln Memorial on June 2 as protests continued outside of the White House.
This person recalled how they were in Washington during protests and remembers heavy-handed tactics from police.
“Let me say this, I fucking remember, cause I was there. I experienced DC police coming into the fucking McDonalds after macing Karon Hylton-Brown’s mom,” they said.
We couldn’t even be in front of the Barclays without being beaten up and ran over by police vehicles. YALL LET THESE BREACHED THE CAPITOL? 😭 Two different worlds https://t.co/bYJEK8PFge
People also recalled when, on June 1, tear gas was deployed against protesters in Washington so that Trump could deliver an impromptu speech at a church located near the White House.
I’d like to point out that the police at the Capitol have still not used tear gas bullets on the Trump supporters who are attempting to take over the building, even though the White House did it to peaceful protestors so that Trump could pose in front of a church with a bible.
Trump deployed the National Guard and D.C. police to disperse peaceful BLM supporters for this bible photo op, but the White House is now refusing to deploy the National Guard to control the thugs in the US Capitol threatening US Senators and his own VP Pence.
When we peacefully protested BLM, we got tear gassed, pepper sprayed, a CHILD GOT MACED, people were shot in the eyes, there were people bleeding from the rubber bullets. At a peaceful protest.
And yet, when terrorists storm the US Capital, they get this? https://t.co/LJhv3g67P8
